A Lion Among the Lambs
by Sakata-Bluemoon
Summary: Highschool, well that sucks, Kankuro is forced to repeat year 12 in the same year as his brother after moving cities. But maybe it isn't as bad as he's making it out to be. Well until they get tied up in a world of confusing emotions and confusing people... Kiba/Kankuro, lots of OOC, and just a dash of lemon in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:: I don't own Naruto, and if you happen to be looking for more of this story and don't want to wait then it's also on under the same user-name. Enjoy.**

**_::A Lion Among the Lambs::_**

When you move to a new town it's always difficult, even when it's just the next city over. Leaving old friends behind, friends that even if weren't your _friends_ could still be friends and stand up to you. Having to make new ones was a scary and threatening prospect, but to make matters worse having to deal with your final year of high-school as well, is just the icing on the metaphorical cake. The cherry which tops all of this shit off is the fact that I have to repeat all of fucking year twelve in the same grade as my little brother (well the fact it's with my little bro doesn't totally suck but repeating year twelve totally does) while being almost a full year and a half older than the whole year level - almost two for some of the unlucky ones (my course language must be excused, being of the age such vulgar words are a commonality in most speech).

Finally after all of that we can reach the chocolate sauce that makes this a dish, you see we (my family... alright my sister (twenty-one going twenty-two sooner or later - though she hates to admit it), brother (just turned seventeen on January 19th) and me (eighteen turning nineteen in May) (dad and mum are both dead so my sister takes care of us - sort of)) moved from Suna (a dry, hot place - really it's in the middle of the desert) to Konoha were we don't know anyone and the temperature changes with the fucking seasons - this includes SNOW, I HATE the COLD.

'_We're looking at a top of forty-three degrees today, but we're sitting at a be~a~utiful thirty-one right now at quarter to seven and you are listening to Suna Station Two. Niggling Insecurity has reached top Ten on the download chart with Endless Heartbeat..Blah...Blah...Blah..._' Flailing uselessly I finally managed to turn the annoying static of the radio off, leaving my room once again in silence - oh beautiful silence.

"KANKURO! GAARA! UP! NOW!" I rolled over, attempting to ignore Temari's cry, throwing my arms in random directions - one landing on a steadily moving lump on the opposite side of the bed. I lifted the covers and stared at the still sleeping form of my younger brother, his red hair a mess and his already dark racoon-like eyes looking even darker this fine freezing morning. Ignoring the urge to poke him insistently in the side, I nudged him into bare consciousness to question him on his being in my bed, the same reason it had been for many years.

"Nightmares again Gaara?" A mumbled agreement came from the still half-sleeping boy, he rolled round - sea-foam eyes blinking open to stare at me. "Come on little bro Tem wants us up and ready." I shoved against the almost immovable lump and listened as it made a rather satisfying thump upon hitting the ground.

"Nice Kankuro." Rasped a reply from the floor, pale hands appeared at the edge of the bed, before tightening round the purple fabric of the sheets and wrenching the quilt off. A violent shiver running down my spine as the cold air of the spring morning hit my chest full force; did I say how much I HATED the cold.

"Bastard, it's fucking freezing!" I barked at him, grabbing the rejected black muscle shirt from the floor and throwing it on, it eased the bite of the air but didn't restrict my freedom of movement.

"Oh really, come join me on the floor then and you can test how bloody cold it is down here." He stated smirking sardonically up at me from the edge of my bed. Giving me the evil eye as he sunk behind the edge and then reappeared again smirking like a maniac at another point, his red hair like a shark fin at the point where the edge of the black sheet sloped off to wooden flooring. Both of us laughed hysterically at his little display of insanity.

"Jackass."

"Tool."

"Bitch."

"BLOODY HELL THE BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP AND GET A MOVE ON! SCHOOL STARTS IN AN HOUR!" Temari screeched from the doorway, hands on hips and pouty face going full force. "And I got you up nice and early so you two girls could put your makeup on and everything!" She cackled maniacally striding out of the room and down the stairs.

"Damn, I think our sister just got us."

"Yep, she got us good." I stated making us both laugh as we leapt up and began getting ready. Gaara scampering off to his own room to get ready, while I strode casually into my adjoining bathroom - you see each one of our bedrooms had an en-suite because, well Temari needed one because she was just weird like that, and a girl, while us boys needed separate ones because waiting round for your brother to finish doing his hair just wasted your morning, so having our own made life so much easier.

Smiling softly I stripped down and turned the shower on, stepping under the onslaught of water only after it had reached a reasonable temperature - scolding hot! I stood under the tap for about ten minutes, just long enough to rinse the sleep from my body and wash my face. Reaching blindly out of the cubicle I swirled my hand around in empty air in search of my towel, finally I snagged the corner of it and dried off, wrapping it around my waist - for modesties sake - before striding back into my bedroom to get ready for... Dun~dun~duun~ the first day of school. I laughed at myself for being so worried the day before about how today would turn out, I'd be fine, there where probably some really insane people for Gaara to hang out with and plenty of nice books for me to check out. Stuff all my worries in the trash can and come and collect it, today would be fine... I hoped.

Shaking out my umber hair and throwing the towel back into the bathroom I paused to look at myself in the mirror, not that I was vain or anything but I didn't want to walk in there looking like a total disgrace. Big virescent eyes stared back at me, trailing down to the black t-shirt with iridescent purple lightening flashing across it, black hoodie with - because my sister was a total bitch and bought it for me years ago, and alright so now I'm kinda attached to the thing - black cat ears (not stupid ones, these ones look really good on me), black baggy jeans and of course my signature 'graffitied' - they're covered in drawings I did during art class one year with permanent, it looks pretty cool - purple converse. Smirking at myself I leapt over the bed, got my toe caught, and stumbled stupidly out the door; leaping down the flight of stairs I stole what was left of Temari's breakfast and twirled casually to a stop on the door frame.

"Kankuro think you forgot something." She stated rising from the table and heading to her hand bag, going over a mental checklist I couldn't think of anything I could've possibly forgotten. I was positive I'd put underwear on that morning, purple silky boxers with '_K~S~_' sown (because embroidered just sounds way to girly) on the left leg - I did it myself, reason - because I didn't want people nicking off with my nickers. I was dressed, had brushed my teeth in the shower (time saver, and great water management), and had finished Tem's breakfast; I was stumped to what she could possible mean.

"What?"

"Bro where's your paintwork." Gaara asked walking by me and straight to the fridge, digging out a... I don't even know what it is, it's like a drink and it looks like puke, but he says it tastes good, and oh - bleh - there are these seeds in it, I think they're chia and they make the whole thing all chunky and oh God he's drinking it (but I digress)... I face-palmed, jumping over the couch and skidded to a halt in the down stairs bathroom - and just because I'm weird I'll tell you now that yes there are five bathrooms in this house, three upstairs and two down (although one of them is just a toilet and sink it still counts in my books) - throwing the light switch I unscrewed the tub of purple paint and carefully applied a new design to my face.

Feeling satisfied that it looked completely different to yesterdays I stepped back into the lounge/hall finally ready for school. Gaara stepped out of the kitchen looking satisfied and gave me the once over as I did the same to him.

He looked pale - but hell he always did - and his red hair stuck out in lazy spikes, the 'ai' symbol painted carefully on his forehead in bright red - it was actually a scar that Dad'd given him before he died, he'd used a piece of burning steel and carved it into his head, so now he painted over it so as not to freak people out to much - black eyeliner stuck several inches thick around his eyes - hiding all evidence he had trouble sleeping, tight fitting black jeans clung to his legs, a loose black shirt with fish net sleeves was half hidden under his blood red jacket that was high collared, long sleeved and stopped just above his ankles. A white silken sash was draped from his right shoulder, tied off at the hip with golden tassels hanging at his mid thigh. It probably wouldn't work on any _normal_ person, but man could he rock that look, the jacket only did up to just below his waist and flowed out behind him like a cloak, which I had to admit was fucking awesome - and I was only slightly envious of his get up because red just looked wrong on me, plus I preferred purple and black.

"So you ready little bro?"

"You betcha, you driving us there?" He asked nonchalantly throwing his school bag - which anyone would admit to looking cool, it was shaped like a gourd and was big enough to chill happily on Gaara's back peking over his shoulder and sticking out slightly from the side of his hip, which looked so fucking awesome - over his shoulder and grinning at me as I grabbed my own - a black single shoulder thing I picked up on holiday, it was covered in 'bandages' on the outside and just sort of -went- with what I was wearing - and marched the two of us out the front to where my car was waiting patiently. It was a beautiful black automatic Ferrari F430, with black and red interior which was all sleek and totally something you wanted to pick your date up in just so they'd go 'OMG my boyfriend is a total stud.' because this car was a total sports machine and worth every penny on my eighteenth birthday. She was the best gift I ever bought myself, and my darling just drove like an angel all purrs and great suspension; first time I ever drove her I just sat there for half an hour listening to the growl as I revved the engine, it is the most beautiful sound in the world... Well that I've heard yet and I've only had roughly nineteen years on this earth.

"Remember to come home eventually!" Temari called from the door, waving us off as we glided down the driveway and out of the street. Birds of Tokyo playing 'The Gap' as we pulled down some side streets, heading -hopefully- to our new school. I didn't know exactly where it was because I hadn't been paying attention to where we were going the first time Temari drove us there, but instincts told me this was roughly the right way. Just follow the aura of impending doom and the screams of torture, as well as the scent of the teachers coffee - that stuff was toxic and probably strong enough to bring a dinosaur back from extinction.

"Kankuro?"

"Yeah Gaara." Turning the music down I waited patiently for him to finish his query, the gentle rumble of the engine all the noise left in the car.

"Do you think they'll accept us? I mean, not because we're bi or anything. But because of how different we are. And they'll all have their social groups already and we'll just be the new kids." Deadpanning I stared out past the road as the school gates came into view; it was true we where really strange, and we where bisexual which usually got us beat up or teased. I just didn't want to think about what this school would think about us, we where weird and quirky but that's just who we where and I'd never let any stupid school change that. Besides I was too big to get stuffed in a locker, and Gaara was like a ninja - he could appear and disappear into thin air.

"If they don't then they're a bunch of jocks trying to compensate for the package downstairs." Gaara chuckled at this, breathing a sigh of relief as we pulled into a park under a tree - successfully hiding my baby from anyone who might want to hurt her. Slapping him once on the back and sharing an encouraging smile we slipped from the car, making sure to lock her before we left, and walked casually down the footpath towards the main building.

With one glance round the courtyard out the front you could already see everyone had separated into little social groups, you had your jocks out the front near the gates, your cheerleaders sitting on a table just by them, your social outcasts (e.g. emo, lazy, just plain weirdos - I guessed that would be where we'd end up sitting eventually) at a table a fair distance away from everyone else and then me and Gaara, the new kids heading for the office because we had no idea where anything was in this school and having a class list helps anyone use this educational facility to its greatest capacity...

TBC...


	2. Chapter 2

"Look Moonshadow we discussed this last year, it doesn't matter what you say or do, you and Solana can not have swords at school." We walked in on the receptionist telling off a girl in a black cloak, her friend who wasn't wearing shoes and was sporting a black victorian style dress and two massive dogs, one pitch black with gold highlights and flashes of iridescent blue on his ears, and the other a chocolate brown one with green highlights on its ears. The one in a cloak had an assortment of dangerous weaponry clasped in her hands, from a broad sword, a collection of katana and even a bow and quiver; her friend was sporting a twin pair of katana similar to that of the others but in a dangerous red.

"Fine, we'll come and collect them from you this afternoon. But! if I find a single scratch on either one of them you will pay the ultimate price." The two girls spun round, pausing only briefly to glance our way, before marching out the door with their dogs in tow. Obviously not cheerleaders, but you still wouldn't want to get on the wrong end of that glare - it could freeze your very soul.

"Those two will be the death of me." The receptionist muttered placing the imposing pile of incredibly sharp weaponry safely behind her desk, she was an old lady all grey and wrinkly, wearing a calf length skirt and a puffy blouse, with those glasses attached to strings that hung around her neck. The kind of receptionist you see on television with the really strict principle and school that blows things up for Chemistry class - pretty much your stereotypical secretary, which was rather surprising, there had to be a flaw with her somewhere. "Oh, can I help you?"

"I guess, I'm Kankuro Sabaku and this is my brother Gaara. We're from Suna high... The new year twelve transfer students." I stated after all I got as a reply from her was a series of confused blinks.

"Oh, those two. Yes, yes, yes. Here are your class schedules and a map of the school, ah, there are club signup sheets all throughout the halls if you wish to join anything. So welcome to Konoha High, enjoy your time here." She smiled excitedly waving us out of the office.

"Well she was _totally _normal." Gaara chuckled, I hummed in agreement pocketing the six thousand pieces of paper the receptionist had given me, I swear one of them was a shopping list, and another was a form for car repossession - see there was that flaw I'd mentioned earlier, she was a total dither brain.

"Mrs Yule isn't that bad, a little strange but she's alright." A voice said from beside us, I snapped my head round to stare wide eyed at the cloaked figure from the reception. "I'm Moonshadow, this is Solana, Achilles and Wolfgang." She stated indicating to the brunet beside her, the black dog and the brown one. "You boys want a tour guide for your first day?" She asked nonchalantly reaching up and flicking her hood from her face, the black fabric dropped to reveal layer after layer of long black silk like hair, and two big emerald eyes, as well as two black wolf ears sticking up through her hair - they twitched on her head, turning their full attention towards us... I think they where real.

"Sure we're up for an escort." I stated noting how Gaara just remained deadly silent, a pale pink blush spreading across his cheeks. "I'm Kankuro and this is my brother Gaara."

"Nice to meet you, well how about we start with what we can all see."

"The social groups." Solana chirped skipping round and taking my arm, Moonshadow doing the same to Gaara, slightly nervously and with an adorable blush on her cheeks - which was weird, these girls didn't seem like the type to blush, more like the type to cut you into ribbons if you said anything against them.

"What you are looking at here is a complex social structure, we have our cheerleaders." She indicated to the group of girls still spread across the table top, a bright pink haired girl was standing out amongst them, next to her was a blond, a brunet and a black haired girl hiding behind the rest trying to cover her exposed knees. "Okay so the pink one is Sakura, her best friend is Ino aka the blonde, Tenten is the brunet with the buns. But do NOT, I repeat do NOT go near her unless you want to get high kicked in the face. Then the one trying to regain her modesty is Hinata, she's all shy and quite and doesn't really fit the character of a cheerleader."

"She's more of our friend than theirs, her father was the one who wanted her to go into cheering." Solana commented sending a small shy wave to the black haired girl, who raised her hand in greeting, a tiny nervous smile playing across her face.

"Then you have our group, morning boys!" She called dragging us over to the table near the front of the school building, a black haired boy dressed all in dark blue, another with a pony tail who was... asleep, and one with pale eyes and long brown hair sat staring out at Moonshadow, but not at her - if you get what I mean. "These are the smarts of the school, our masters of the mind, the Einstein's of Konoha high. This is Sasuke, Shikamaru and Neji. Gracious sharers of their infinite knowledge." She stated falling to her knees and mock praising the table the others where sitting at, Gaara seemed irritated that she was worshiping the other boys, but she just laughed as she rose from the ground and dusted dirt from her sleeves towards the seated boys.

"Moonshadow, I see you picked up some more outcasts." Stated Sasuke glancing critically at my brother and me, Moonshadow just laughed lightly at his statement, dropping Gaara down at the table and sliding in next to him, moving just that little bit closer than was necessary but not too close as to arouse suspicion within his slightly dazed mind.

"Leave them alone Sasuke, they're the new kids. I just felt it was my civic duty to save them from being humiliated by the jocks. No offence boys, but if we'd left you two alone one of you would be tied to a toilet in the next twenty minutes. And having a friend rip electric tape from your body is just... painful."

"Why?" Gaara finally asked, removing himself from his stupor, and turning to face Moonshadow.

"I think it has something to do with how the tape melds to the friction of our skin, and then there's the hair which singularly sticks to the tape and rips out when it's removed..." Gaara sent her a critical look at her explanation of '_painful electric tape_', and she seemed to catch on that that wasn't what he meant.

"Oh because of your style sense, no offence to it but the boys over there have set the school up with style standards or codes or something. If you don't meet them or fit into them, you pay the consequences." Solana stated toying with her own victorian style skirt. "Me and Moon didn't know that when we first came to the school. But we didn't change even when the bullying began, teachers won't listen because they just claim we're attention seeking little brats. The only protection against it you have is your friends."

"What do you get when an emo, lazy bastard, genius, social outcast and shadow sit together? Yeah, we're all still waiting to see how that joke'll end." Neji scoffed, making the rest of the table bark in laughter, it was harsh and unkind and... just a little bit sinister, scary - we've been 'invited' to sit with the scary, social outcasts with cynical minds that think up of ways to blow banks up and destroy their enemies using germ war-fare, awesome we'll fit in perfectly (no sarcasm intended). "Do you want to know what that was? The start of the bullying, that crude crappy humour is where everything starts."

"Emo, me, lazy bastard, Shikamaru, genius, Neji, social outcast, Solana and the shadow, Moonshadow." Sasuke bit, chewing on each word like he'd spit them all back out at their creators if they where physical manifestations. "They'll come for you next, don't worry. You'll get your nickname and then everything'll go pear shaped." The atmosphere around the table darkened, each one of the outsiders down casting their eyes all light and joy sucked from their faces, leaving nothing but hollow shells, it was almost terrifying.

"What will they do to us?" Gaara asked subconsciously curling his hand in Moon's, the girl giving his a gentle squeeze and sending a sorrowful smile his way.

"It depends on what they name you... I was the shadow, forced back against walls, thrown from lines, trodden on, ignored, always behind everyone else. I was forgotten in rooms and wiped from rolls. They would tease and taunt and paint my things black... The colour of the shadow. But worst of all was once everyone forgot my existence they began saying things, such horrible things about everyone else. I have tales and gossip that I never want to share because it would tear me apart just to remember them in partial." A violent shiver running down her spine as she sent an apologetic look towards Solana, where we about to enter some sick twisted version of the twilight zone, or a bullying AA meeting.

"I was the Social Outcast... I was just ignored all together, people glared and gossiped, saying things in front of Moon that tore her more than her own punishment. She hasn't ever told me what they said about me, but when she came home the first day I knew I didn't want to ever know." Solana stated taking Moon's other hand and sharing a sad smile with her.

"I was the Genius... I was trapped in mazes, cars, compartments, one time they threw me in the air-conditioner vents to find my own way out. I was lucky Moon had walked by with her laptop, she hacked into the school records and found the vent grid, told me where to go and rescued me from that hell. They'd beat me up for homework and drop riddles on me, if I didn't get them in a certain amount of time I was creamed. I think I got off the lightest because my cousin was a cheerleader, but still the taunting hurt more than the loneliness and helplessness of being trapped in those places." Neji said taking Solana's other hand, before we all turned to Shikamaru.

"The Lazy Bastard... I was teased verbally, nothing as horrendous as the others but still. They'd see how long I could stay asleep in different situations, I was dragged from where I rested to some disgusting, god awful points all over the city. They left things on me just to see me jump when I awoke, one time they dumped week old cafeteria rubbish all over me. I became a stench that everyone ignored and ran from." Shika stated before grabbing Neji's hand laying his spare one on the table and drifting off to a half conscious state.

"I was the Emo, I'm not actually I love my life and enjoy my friends, I just find expressing emotion difficult and usually only wear a mask of indifference, but they don't care. You get called an emo and the stereotypes just click over in peoples minds, they locked me in bathrooms and dumped drawings of my death in my locker. Each death they drew they attempted but always stopped right before I lost consciousness. Forty-two so far and more to come..." Sasuke muttered placing his hand on Shikamaru's before offering his other to me, my hand was already clinging to Gaara's wrist like someone might try to take him away. Reluctantly I placed mine in his and we sat there for a moment, a group of outsiders finding comfort in this small human contact.

"I don't get why we're all holding hands, but there's something about it that just feels... right." I muttered turning Sasuke's round in my own, noting the cuts across his wrists and palms assuming they where all part of the torture. Running my thumb along the scar I thought to the ones that littered my back, the one on Gaara, a rumble of disapproval vibrated through my chest - making itself known as a small growl, this made Sasuke smile shyly, giving my hand a gentle comforting squeeze.

"Strength." One single word and we all understood how, they channeled their strength from the comfort they gained from the friendship they have. Surprisingly they'd opened up their circle and taken up our hands, bringing us strength for the day, making sure we knew who our friends where and that they'd always be here to provide us with strength and help.

"So, we better get you boys to class then." Moonshadow stated bouncing out of her seat, a smile once again plastered across her face; all the sorrow and hardship they'd just been discussing completely imperceptible in the way all five of them rose gracefully to standing positions and dragged us with them into the building. "So what do you have first?"

"Maths with Mr. Iruka." Moonshadow rolled her eyes, snatching my timetable from me with ease before dancing round to stand beside Gaara again. She scanned the sheet before passing it back to me, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"We're all in the same classes, good, good, good. Life is so much easier when you have the same classes as your friends, especially if you're new." I smiled at her, placing the piece of paper back into my pocket. "We shall show you to your lockers then you get to pick which one you want. Because there aren't enough students in the school to actually make it a proper school, per say. But we have our sports teams and academic minds so under council codes we are an educational facility for young minds."

"Even though they only teach the one year level." Solana chirped swinging Neji's and Shikamaru's hands as we strolled down to the very end of the hallway, the lockers becoming cleaner (somehow) and less dinted. "So we're allowed to pick our lockers anywhere we like, when we first arrived we all had lockers up the front of the hall with the others, but after we got sick of finding stuff in them we moved down the back here."

"It's a quite place, plenty of corners to dash behind when being chased. - Hallways that are curving for those of us with stamina. - Easy access points to the library. - Backdoors for quick escapes to freedom. - It's safer than being closer to _them_. - I swear the saying keep your friends close and your enemies closer is completely wrong. - You want to keep your enemies close enough to watch their movements but your friends closer. - Closer they are the safer you are." They all stated adding each sentence flowing in an almost lyrical manner, separate voices entwining as an entire paragraph was formed thanks to their combined effort. I wanted to laugh, it was rather amazing how they all knew each other so well that they could just go off into little conversations with others as a single unit.

"Alright that makes sense." I shrugged, walking over to a black locker covered in purple streaks, it would seem this had once been Moonshadow's if her previous bullying explanation was anything to go by. "This isn't still your's Moon?"

"Nope I moved a few more feet down the hall, next to Solana and the others."

"So this locker is a couple of feet away from everyone?"

"Yeah, I was protecting them by staying at a distance, didn't want anyone else to get triple tortured in one day. That just wasn't fair."

"Cool." I muttered throwing the locker open and checking the contents, there where a few books that where empty and painted black as well as two markers - black and purple. "Guessing you don't need any of this stuff then?" She shook her head and I shoved my lunch into the small space as well as most of the books I didn't need.

"Well we'll just be down the hall, see you at maths." They began walking off, "Err, you can come with or go on ahead, we shouldn't to be long. Gaara you should come with us and get a locker." I nodded slinging my bag back over my shoulder and watching as the others sauntered off down the hallway, Solana and Moonshadow dancing round the rather morbid group with their two dogs yapping at their heels. Spinning round I stalked down the way we'd just come, turning off at the correct intersections and making a mental map of the place I'd spend the next 190 days walking through, trying to avoid my death.

TBC...


	3. Chapter 3

"My reputation is at stake here you bastard!" Came a high pitched cry from one of the nearby classrooms, fearing the worst I dived behind some lockers and waited for the danger to pass; just like I would've done at my old school, oh how somethings never change. I remembered the days I spent dashing from locker to locker using them as cover as gangs of my enemies tried to get me to make me see the light that was their own beliefs.

"Look I'm just not that interested in you Sakura." Came a husky male voice, as two figures sauntered out of a nearby classroom.

"How can you not be interested in me, I've slept with almost every jock there is to sleep with. Except you! Once I've got your mark I'm done, just an hour of your time that's all I ask!" The annoying voice kept shrieking, both of them where getting closer to where I was crouching.

"No, ack get off me! I don't like you! Get that through your head! I'm NOT interested!" A pink blur flew past me, shrieking even louder than before - she reminded me of the mythical birds in story books, Harpies or Banshies or something like that.

"You'll regret this Kiba Inuzuka! You'll regret this!" Something thumped into the locker bay near me, and the person called Kiba released a heavy sigh.

"She'll probably tell everyone I'm gay. Ha! It means I won't have to keep hiding it from everyone. That would be nice, to freely walk these halls with a cute boy on my arm. Dreams, stupid dreams." Holding my breath I prayed that this boy would move on, instead a locker opened and the boy knocked a couple of books onto the floor, before he followed them down his lanky legs sticking out into the hallway. They where clad in baggy brown army pants, black converse snuggly tied to his feet, feeling nervous I dragged my hood over my head to cover as much of my face as possible, it wasn't that I was afraid; no, I was just agitated by the stories Moonshadow and the others had been filling my head with. "I just want freedom from this Akamaru."

'Arf!' Came a dog's reply to his plea, if only he wasn't a jock I might've revealed myself from my spot; but being bullied right now was not on my to-do list this morning. 'Arf!'

"Yes I know he's there... Are you just going to stand there or come present yourself!?" Shuffling my feet I slunk forwards to stand beside him, crouching down I watched his deep brown eyes focusing on the opposite lockers, a grey fur lined coat covered most of him; a small white dog watched me intently as I lowered to a kneeling position beside him, not knowing what to say or do.

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop, I was just heading to class." Brown lifeless eyes swivelled their focus to stare intently into mine, red triangles stood out on each of his cheeks, painted on just like my stripes. A smile travelled slowly across his lips, reaching into his eyes to spark an inner light that seemed to be hidden for too long, he reached up a tanned hand, nails long and pointed, tweaking the tips of the cat ears sitting upon my head his tight lip smile spread into a full blown grin, showing off pointed canines and almost blindingly white teeth.

"You must be new here, no-one at this school, which I know of anyway, wears cat ears. So what's your name Kitty-Cat?"

"Kankuro Sabaku, and you're Kiba Inuzuka, jock, and dog-breath."

"So I'm guessing Moonshadow and Solana picked you up, you're nice and warned about what'll happen now." Nodding slowly his smirk widened but quavered, almost caving into a sad strained smile, "I am sorry about this. What do you get when an emo, lazy bastard, genius, social outcast, shadow and kitty-cat sit together?" Going over a mental checklist of everyones names, I blinked in surprise at the one he'd presented me with.

"Kitty-cat? Really?" Kiba blushed making his red cheeks redder, it was rather adorable; I had to hold back on the temptation to pinch his cheek.

"I just... it just... you... cat... look like...umm..." He spluttered attempting, and failing, to regain his composure.

"Calm down dog breath, it's just a name. I take no offence to it mutt." He sighed, smiling slightly in relief.

"Good, good, I just hope the others accept what I've put you as. It would suck if you got named by some of them, it would be mean and cruel and they'd hurt you more... Not that I care." He lied quickly, trying to maintain that 'jock' persona I believe he'd more been presented with than chosen. Pushing a hand up under my hood, he ran his nails across my scalp, fingers carding through my hair, with a soft sigh he pushed the hood all the way off and stared up into my now revealed eyes. Tugging me forward just slightly he studied the sketches of purple over my face; only sort of breaking that personal space barrier. "Interesting, so different, unique. Is it permanent?" He asked a finger leaning in, reacting quickly I grabbed the wrist and retorted to stop the destruction of my masterpiece.

"Ah, stop breathing on me mutt, you really do stink like a dog." Kiba flushed and released my head, shifting the white dog on his lap.

"Maybe I need a cat bath Kitty." Laughing at his statement I rose from my crouch and began walking away from him, making sure to sway my hips teasingly at him.

"Maybe Kiba, maybe." And with that I sauntered off, making sure to keep my hips swaying in that tempting way which showed off my butt nicely, it would take a married man not to stare at my ass right then.

"I'LL BE KEEPING YOU TO THAT PROMISE!" He shouted after me, just as I rounded a corner and a smile brighter than I'd ever had on my face at any school shone out at the world. A bloody cute boy, who was a closet gay, was considering me as his 'friend' and what sort of idiot wouldn't pass up the chance to have a jock draped over their arm - even if they did smell like dog, but after a few 'cat' baths and some serious cuddling he would probably smell more appropriate.

"Hey Bro, what took you so long?" Gaara asked appearing at my side like he usually did, with no warning and out of thin air.

"I just ran into Kiba... a jock, I've got my name now." I stated trying to calm the grin still plastered across my face, but no matter what I did it just seemed to grow bigger and toothier.

"So what are you?" Asked Moonshadow dancing onto Gaara's arm. Maybe there was a secret class or something which taught these people how to appear out of seeming nothingness, I needed to learn that trick. I wonder if I could startle the dog with it? Concentrate Kankuro, no thinking about Kiba. Mentally shaking myself I answered her question, quelling the urge to smirk.

"Kitty-cat." Gaara and I laughed at it, Moonshadow just seemed confused but she too laughed at the statement after a little while.

"Well I can think of a couple of things they can do to you, but Kankuro you got off easy. Maybe they've finally lost their fire this year." Moonshadow said smiling, "Well at least Kiba has, which is strange because he's the one who usually has the worst bite." I was stunned, to say the least, Kiba was just another desperate closet boy who liked dogs and smelt like one too. Alright so I was kidding myself, he was kind of cute and worth at least some checking out, if I could convince him I might take him out eventually - somewhere nice of course... maybe a dog park, or the beach, or just take him out to the back yard and throw around a red bouncy ball - oh! he'd just love that... I _tried_ not to snicker at my thoughts, but tried is the prominent word in that sentence.

"Class now! The three of you!" We all jumped, twisting to see a brunette standing in front of us, a scare across the bridge of his nose; we snapped to attention and scampered into the classroom.

"That's Mr. Iruka, our Maths teacher." Moonshadow hissed vanishing towards the back of the room as we trailed after her, letting Gaara sit with the rest of his friends I relaxed into an empty table next to a window - the desk painted black with purple images scribbled across them. One in the top corner caught my eye, it was a dog tethered to a cat, the two curled round each other in some what of a sensuous way (hard to believe but that's what it looked like).

TBC...


	4. Chapter 4

Maths went by smoothly, the jocks where later than we where and all sat up the front with the cheerleaders on their laps - Kiba though sat a row behind them, his dog sitting on the desk as he stared down at his work book like a drowning man - Mr. Iruka set the work then vanished when a man with white hair and a pirate patch showed up and swept him away. After a few minutes of being on his own Kiba was once again dragged into the populars grasp where he sat smugly glaring back at Moonshadow and Gaara, some instinctual part of me told the rest of me to beat this guy senseless and tell him to leave my brother alone - but he had enough problems of his own right now, Gaara would be alright, he was strong. The bell rang for English with Mr. Kakashi, who turned out to be the pirate mask guy just so you know, and I rose to leave; feeling eyes watching my every movement, and not just my friends worried gaze, but eyes from the front of the room - critical, calculating, cold - eyes covering the triple C's.

"So you're Kitty-Cat. You where right to call him so Kiba, boy you're in for a hell of a last year." Sneered a blonde, scratches marred the flesh of his cheeks and his ocean blue eyes tried to be mean- but just couldn't.

"Whatever." I stated nonchalantly, walking past them with a sweeping motion, as if they where nothing more than an obstacle. In truth they where just another obstacle, like the tables or chairs littered around the room. I swept past them all, giving Kiba a brief wink as I bypassed him, striding with confidence out the door, before pausing, turning to send them a rather cocky smirk full of fang. "You know, you shouldn't threaten someone who's older than you twerp. Especially if they're of a greater physical power than you as well." The blonde just looked up at me spluttering in confusion, oh how I hated the stupidity of these people, too many footballs to the head in my opinion. Smirking still I sent the group a nonchalant wave, spinning on my heels, before striding from the room and down the hall to the assigned English classroom.

Which turned out to be cancelled, because Mr. Kakashi was 'mysteriously' missing in action, as was our maths teacher; coincidence, I think not...

So instead of sitting around doing nothing for the lesson, Moonshadow proposed we just have ourselves an early recess; there was no arguments there, I wasn't too keen on sitting in the same classroom as the jocks at the moment, their slow minds seemed to be working up something sinister. Maybe if they put half the amount of thought power they did into torturing the others they could actually PASS a subject, instead of failing every single one.

"So Moon, who was that blonde with the scars? You didn't really tell us anything about the jocks so... I'm just asking now." Gaara queried, handing his untouched apple my way, he'd lost his appetite; not one to complain I started juggling our apples, out of pure boredom. We'd come back out the front of the school to sit at our table, there was a cafeteria somewhere but we'd all brought our own lunches so... why bother? Although we where all slightly more on edge than this morning because todays bullying had already started, the jocks had glued Shikamaru to his chair in English - during those five minutes we where actually in the room, he'd gotten stuck and that had wasted another fifteen minutes of our extended lunch.

"Well... I really don't like having to use their true names, calling them jocks just makes life a little easier. You can forget that they're really human under all that stupidity, and then the teasing and torment doesn't leave such big scars." She replied handing her own apple my way, seeing as I already had two going easily enough I added the third with a grin; the constant concentration needed to keep the fruit in the air was enough to take my mind off the jocks sitting only a few metres away.

"He's Naruto Uzamaki, used to be really bubbly and fun. But during his primary years he was bullied and excluded, so now... He does the same things to us." Sasuke stated, a small sad glint in his eye as he took a chunk out of his tomato - turns out they're his favourite food, them and Omusubi with Okaka. I eyed the apple he'd left untouched with certain curiosity, as if picking up on my intentions he rolled it down the table to add to my juggling act - four apples, yay!

"Now you've already met Kiba and Akamaru, those two are inseparable." Neji stated, white eyes watching the juggling with minimal interest, there must've been enough though because he handed me his apple making it a total of five.

"Don't you mean insufferable." joked Moonshadow nibbling away on a cupcake - which appeared to be blue, yes that's right, blue; a completely normal colour for a confectionary item. Solana watched the cupcake with minimal interest, but Moon just broke it in two, separated the icing evenly and handed half over to the other girl, who grinned happily as she devoured it - maybe there was something in their water.

"Well that too, but he's got a really mean streak. He used to be the one who painted Moon's things black... Even though he gave her the purple marker days later, telling her to give herself some colour..." Shikamaru added a confused tone in his voice at the last statement, he didn't have an apple and that's what I really wanted at the moment, but I was also sort of pleased - it was taking a bit too much concentration to keep the fruit in the air now, I was beginning to fear I'd drop them soon.

"Lee's the one with the pitch black hair, who wears dark green suits to school. - He used to be one of us. - But then they found out he was a sprinter. - So he was offered a place and redemption, without hesitation he took it. - And now he dishes out the same tortures he once suffered, without care." They said doing the creepy layered sentence thing again, obviously they did this when explaining something that they needed strength for. "Shino isn't so bad. - He's not like the others. - Bugs are his passion, as is biology. - But he is also excellent when it comes to football. - And so he was taken." They made it sound so sad, like some of their strength was taken when their friends where, you couldn't help but feel sorry for them - their strength came from their friendship if some of their friends where taken then it affected them on more than just one level.

"Anyone got any more apples?" I asked, watching as they all dropped out of their memories to start rummaging round in their bags, so it might've sounded like I was selfishly looking for more fruit to challenge myself with, but really I just didn't want them thinking like this anymore; it was better when they smiled. After a moment more of searching I was handed two more apples, a spare tomato from Sasuke, and an orange that Moon seemingly pulled out of thin air - she wasn't carrying a bag so I was curious as to where the fruit had appeared from... and the cupcake. Remaining calm I began to juggle again, seven apples, the tomato and the orange arched easily in the air around my head, I wanted to laugh at how easy this was with nine pieces of fruit; the impressive display of juggling distracted my new friends, and they laughed heartily as I kept the fruit in the air even as I jumped up to stand on the table - the two dogs leaping beside me to bark and dance around my ankles as we continued the show.

Finally the bell startled me out of my concentration and the fruit fell out of its on going loop, half on my head - which I caught on its way down - while the rest dropped onto my toes, the tomato bouncing off my foot to Sasuke, who gave it a distasteful look before putting it back in its bag for later. Handing the fruit I'd saved to its owner I scooped the rejected fruit from where it fell and dumped it in a nearby garbage bin.

"Thanks Kankuro." Moon muttered taking my hand as well as Gaara's, "we all know you started that performance to stop our little depression trip. I'm glad you did, it worked and now we can head off to Biology without grim faces." She stood up as tall as she could reach and pressed her lips to my cheek in a brushing kiss, blushing she grinned, skipping off with Gaara in tow. She was explaining to him that it was a thank you kiss and meant nothing about our relationship that would extend beyond friendship, I wanted to laugh at the way they where acting towards each other - similar to a couple, maybe they would eventually stop blushing when they met and go out on a date.

Biology began with me walking face first into the door, smiling sheepishly as I entered a man who appeared to be blue grinned broadly at my embarrassment and gave me a rather forceful slap on the back; tripping down to the back of the class I sat with the others for this lesson, not willing to sit by myself after that display of stupidity. For this class we had two teachers, the blue man with dyed navy hair was Kisame - our marine biology teacher - and Itachi - who turned out to be Sasuke's older brother, which is really embarrassing if we had to do reproduction this year - who'd teach us everything else. The thing is, learning about the environmental dangers of altering the diet of certain frog species which is something that needs all your attention becomes very difficult, especially when one teacher has the tendency to stand behind the other with arms wrapped around his waist and head nestled in the crook of his neck, well -yeah- learning about those suffering amphibians is just even more difficult. As if noticing we weren't really learning much Itachi declared that there was an assessment task connected with this subject and rather joyously handed out task sheets, all with a smirk that could crack mirrors on his face.

"Now for this task you will be working in pairs, and I expect that there will be an even amount of work done in both parties. I expect a well written and educated result, including an annotated bibliography of at least seven sources. Your partners will be chosen alphabetically... first name basis." I wonder if the gods where just going to smite me here and get it over and done with, Moonshadow had an expression of 'kill-me-now', Sasuke was hyperventilating with wide horrified eyes, Neji was slowly sinking off his chair to the floor, Solana was so pale you'd think she was chalk and Shikamaru was... asleep. Gaara seemed to be the only one semi conscious and let out an indignant squeak of horror, his hand flying into the air, where it quivered waiting to be called on.

"Sir, you can't be serious! Wouldn't a last name basis be better for alphabetisation?" Itachi just glowered at his outburst, suddenly there was a 'thunk' and Gaara had his head pressed firmly to the desk by both Moonshadow and Solana, bright smiles on their faces.

"We're sorry sir for his interruption, please continue and tell us all who our partners will be for this assessment." They chirped, Gaara just groaned on the desk, Itachi beamed a thousand watt smile at us and swept a clipboard into his hands, scribbling some notes on it.

"What was that about?" I muttered, prying them off my brothers head, a lump forming already on his forehead from the force of their attack.

"I refuse to allow myself to be forced to work with that bully, Kiba would dump all the work on me and bugger off." Moonshadow growled eyes flashing with hostility, plus something else I couldn't quite identify - like she was plotting something evil, evilly evil, and Solana joined her, fingers curling in Gaara's hair threatening to smash him back to the table if he interrupted.

"And I hate Sakura, that pink haired bitch is too loud, too annoying, too selfish. This project needs time to be completed, time we actually have to spend with the other person."

"But aren't you just being selfish, I mean the others now have partners they really don't like either. But I guess, no matter what we do we're going to be partnered with someone we don't want... Well at least one of us is." Sighing I turned back to the teacher who was waiting for silence to return to his overly rowdy class, a smirk that could freeze blood on his face - this was not going to be good.

"I'm rather ecstatic about this assignment pair-up, because of the two new students we have this year. Shall we find out who you are going to spend the next three weeks with?" Without waiting for a reply to his question he began spitting out names like a printer does paper.

Gaara was paired with a boy called Choji, he was big with red swirls on his cheeks, according to Moon he was a wrestler and I wasn't too keen on letting someone like that into Temari's house. Hinata was paired with Ino, which only left Tenten and Sakura from the cheerleaders. Moonshadow was paired with Lee, the ex-friend seemed to be bouncing at the news, while Moon just looked a little sad - unfortunately I didn't have anything to juggle to take her mind off the past. Neji was paired with Naruto, and seemed rather displeased because - and I quote - 'he'll never do any work and just be a big fat dumb-shit' which got him a rather hard smack up the side of the head from Sasuke; who was paired with Sakura, the look on his face when he found out was a mix between 'I-think-I'm-having-a-heart-attack' and 'oh-god-need-to-hide-my-valuables' - it was rather humours. Shikamaru was paired with Shino, and he didn't even know it because once again he was fast asleep and drooling on the desk. Now it was down to just me and Solana, I really didn't want to be paired up with Kiba - but because he was the only other 'K' I would be - and Solana seemed to be having a heart attack at the fact she was paired with Tenten.

Mumbling about the injustice of the world I skulked forward, books in hand, and sat a whole seat away from my partner - everyone else doing the same. Akamaru jumped down from the desk to take the empty stool between us, his big brown eyes shining up at me with joy, I had no idea what the dog was so happy about. Turning back to the front, I tried to pay attention to the rest of the lesson - a garbled nonsense about how arrow frog poison can kill an adult human after making them suffer through chronic stomach pains, as well as bowl disfunction and hallucinations. All through the rather vivid description of this, puppy paws padded at my pant pocket, trying to gain my attention, and let me just say that attempting to ignore the persistent pooch was harder than ignoring chocolate cake with your name on it.

TBC...


	5. Chapter 5

Finally the bell rang, in seconds I'd scribbled down the last of my notes and sprinted out of the room, leaving a trial of dust in my wake. I needed to get out of there, get out of here, finish this twisted day and go home to enjoy a calming cup of coffee while I watched the afternoon news; first though, lunch.

I could hear the rabble as everyone else escaped the classroom, complaining about their assignment partners, everyone seemed really irritated with the utter evilness of Itachi and his sinister planning. Snapping my locker open I dumped my books and pulled out the plastic container my lunch was saved in, Tupperware is one of the best inventions in the world... If no-one had already claimed that.

"Kitty! Hey, Kitty!" A rich baritone cried, dog yaps accompanying the attention seeking calls. Continuing to ignore the shouts of Kiba and Akamaru I walked to the cafeteria, tapping my fork against the lid of my container I hummed the rhythm of Viva La Vida by Coldplay, the persistent little mutt still calling out behind me, heavy footsteps scampering after my own. "Kankuro!"

"Finally mutt, now what did you- Ooffhh~" Something grey and brown slammed into my chest and we both tumbled to the ground, I surprised myself with the fact I still managed to hang onto my lunch - although the fork ended up poking me rather uncomfortably in the chest, probably leaving stab marks in the skin of my breast bone.

"S-s-sorry Kankuro, I forgot to slow down. I didn't t-t-think you'd talk t-t-to me." He stuttered, a blush spreading across his cheeks as he began to sit up, it took him a moment to realise he was straddling my waist, but once he had his blush spread further across his cheeks and went from pale pink powdering to full on tomato sauce spill.

"It's okay mutt, come join me for lunch and talk. Kay?" I asked him, pinching his still flushed cheek, darkening the colour once again. Gently guiding the flustered boy back into a vertical position I draped an arm across his shoulder, balancing my lunch in one hand while watching his flustered expression at my proximity.

Walking into the cafeteria was like walking into a hospital wing, extremely sterile, very white and lots of tiles... everywhere. The tables where all made of steel and where bolted to the floor, it looked like something out of a prison instead of a high school - although I can only find a few differences between the two. One - prisoners have to sleep there, Two - the food is better in prison (not that I'd know, but one of my old school mates spent a few days there - which he constantly brought up in conversations - and he always said the food was better than the schools), Three - people weren't allowed knives, and Four - if a fight started there it would be dealt with, not watched with popcorn and soft drinks. Mentioning food, the options available on Mondays at this school cafeteria are mystery slop (it smells like cat food and I'm pretty sure that's a fish head making an appearance towards the back), wilted vegetables and something that LOOKS like mash potato and is called the vegetarian substitute for the mystery slop... I guess it has something to do with tofu... but I'm not game enough to try it, willingly.

"Over here Kankuro." Kiba instructed, taking the initiative to drag me across the sea of steel to a back door and out into the glorious day, a table that seemed older than the school itself waited patiently for us in the courtyard. Willow trees bowed their heads towards the centre of the stone pavement, long strands of their leaves reaching down to the ground and encircling the old table with walls of flimsy green and soft, looking, leaves. "Is t-t-this alright?" He queried shuffling his feet slightly as I gazed critically at the table before me, reaching down I ruffled his spiky brown locks making him flush again.

"It'll do nicely pup." I praised him, plopping down with my back to the table so I could stretch out my legs, following my lead Kiba took a seat beside me - facing the table, knees tucked up underneath the seat. Stretching one last time, loving the sun that beat down onto my chilled skin, I grabbed my probably frozen lunch; snapping the lid of I let out a satisfied purr as steam wafted up into the air. Did I tell you how much I !LOVE! Tupperware, best...invention...EVER!

A low grumble interrupted my musing over Tupperware, tilting my head slightly I blinked at Kiba who was blushing again like a fire truck at full speed, eyes trained on my steaming lunch. Glancing between the cheesy slice of eggplant lasagne and my biology partner I took in the pro's and con's of feeding the boy, the very skinny looking boy, who seemed rather starved at the moment. Oh why, oh why, must I have such a crush on the dog boy?

"Come 'ere mutt." I growled dragging him those extra thirty centimetres so his thigh was pressed against my own, pressing the warm meal into his hands I watched him blink at it in wonder.

"Kankuro... I-I-I can't take your lunch." He countered trying not to drool over the cooling food in his hands, ruffling his hair again I leant back against the table, closing my eyes and crossing my arms behind my head.

"Go for it mutt, you need it more than I do." I sighed, listening to the the soft scrape of fork against plastic as he started to eat. "Now tell me why you look so starved." There was a thoughtful pause in the scrapping, but it resumed quickly only to be followed by a satisfied sigh and the clutter of table hitting plastic hitting fork.

"Our coach set up this new diet for the whole team. Every athlete has to suffer through it. That vegetarian shit they where serving at the cafeteria, yeah that's what I was meant to eat today." He sighed head resting on arms on the table, his breath ghosting over my elbow, breaching the jackets outer layering. "We aren't meant to eat any dairy, or sugar, or sweeteners, we're only allowed carbs the night before a game and meat is only allowed on weekends... God I'd kill for a steak right now." Chuckling I ruffled his hair again, getting an indignant huff as a response for my affectionate actions.

"Join the club!"

"Huh?"

"My older sister is doing a vegetarian week, something about dietary enhancement or something. But whatever! Still means Gaara and I have to suffer through it as well, since Tem does all the shopping."

"Hey, there's this burger place a few blocks from school. Grab Gaara and let's break the rules and do a little bing burger-ing." I'd never heard of 'bing burger-ing' before but it sounded like an awesome idea.

"Alright pup, you got yourself a deal." I smiled shifting slightly to get more sun on my face, only to have a shadow pass over me. "Awe come on!" sighing heavily I cracked one eye open to glare half-heartedly at Gaara, teal eyes looking tiredly down at me, brow furrowed slightly in thought.

"Bro, you aren't dealing drugs again are you?" he asked, a teasing tone in his voice, feigning a hurt expression I gasped at my brothers accusation.

"Do I look like one to do such a horrible deed?" I cried in false trepidation, shrugging his shoulders Gaara sat smoothly down beside me, giving me a poke in the gut for my bad acting skills.

"No but the 'pup' beside you looks a little too sated near you to not have been drugged." He commented, using my pet name for the boy. Sitting up I gave him a smirk, his eyes rolling - knowing whatever I was about to comment on would not be good.

"Nah man, didn't need to drug the kid. Just feed him and he's like putty in my hands." As emphasis for my point I gave Kiba a gentle squeeze around the middle, watching with mirth as he snapped into an upright position so fast he'd almost given himself whiplash. Playfully he punched me in the arm as retaliation, but settled back into his relaxed state when I ruffled his hair as an apology; Gaara snickering slightly at the behaviour we'd just displayed to him. "Besides I think you'll agree whole heartedly to this deal Gaara."

"You're not becoming a prostitute are you? Because I really don't want to explain that one to Temari. Although..." Eyeing my brother suspiciously I noted the smirk spreading across his face with irritation. "It would explain why you have those leather pants in your wardrobe."

"Gah! Tem bought them for me! I never wear them! You're so mean!" I whined pushing my brother off the chair as he started laughing hysterically.

"Mmmhh Kankuro in leather, now that's a sight I'd love to see." Kiba growled, smirking up at me from the table before he joined Gaara on the ground. Huffing in utter chagrin, I glowered at the boys as they fixed themselves up, joining me once again on the table; just as the others arrived. Moonshadow slithered in next to Gaara sending Kiba a look that contained pure venom, Solana, Shika, Sasuke and Neji sitting across from us; their paper bag lunches getting placed on the table as a single crinkle of bag. Gaara looked around a little confused at the sudden hostility towards the boy on my left, while said boy just shifted uncomfortably, eyes never leaving the grain of the wood.

"Well as I was saying before Gaara, the deal I made with the mutt was for burgers this afternoon. It's actual meat man, how many days has it been since we last sunk our teeth into something other than rabbit food." I continued, smoothly transferring back to our previous conversation to lighten the mood. And it did, once I'd said Kiba was coming with me for burgers the rest of the groups tension eased, a lighter atmosphere crashing down on us liked I'd just saved them from falling off a cliff or something.

"Too long... Three days by my count." He muttered staring desperately at the meatless food before him. "It's so unfair Kankuro, I hate having nothing in the fridge but celery." At the mention of the long stemmed crunchy vegetable a shiver ran simultaneously down both our spines.

"What's wrong with celery?" Solana queried a stick of it covered in feta half way to her mouth, seeing the offending vegetable had made its way (somehow) to our small group I felt the need to shriek and point at it... but I withheld this urge, as it would be highly undignified, and instead gaped at the green stick like it was a three headed beast asking me for directions.

"It takes more energy to eat it than it gives." Kiba whined staring just as woefully at the plant.

"Exactly!" Gaara and I cried simultaneously, pointer fingers aimed skyward in some sort of bad dramatic feature.

"But some people do like it. And I've got no problem with that... I just get sick of it appearing in damn near every dish Tem makes us." I groaned, remembering it somehow finding its way into the miso soup. Miso soup doesn't even have celery in it! That evil green vegetable is stalking me, I swear. "Anyway, burgers this afternoon, yeah?"

"Do I have much choice, you ARE my lift out of here." He replied, Moonshadow sending me a suddenly keen look, while the others just looked shocked.

"You can drive?" Kiba asked, a look of amazement on his face. Aww I impressed the puppy dog, for my next act I will perform a hoop trick.

"Yeah, 'course I can. Not only that but I own my own car pup." Moonshadow suddenly jumped up, a grin that could power the whole school lighting up her face, think fangirl getting her favourite character as a plushie... yeah that sort of look, just not as sickeningly scary.

"Oh my god, oh my god, that Ferrari out front is yours!?" She practically shrieked, nodding slowly - so as not to startle the wild animal - I watched her eyes bug out of her head while she clung to Gaara's arm as if it was some sort of life line. "You have a very cool car." she stated finally settling down again, releasing Gaara from her death grip and twirling her hair around her finger slowly.

"How old are you? You're older than all of us, I know that much because we only just got our licenses so you must be what... twenty?" Solana asked finishing off another celery stick, chuckling softly at her statement I sent her a side long glance.

"No I'm not that old yet. I'm eighteen at the moment, but as soon as May finally makes its appearance I'm nineteen." I smirked, Gaara glaring at me for bragging - not my fault he was only seventeen... not my fault his birthday's so early in the year. Kiba seemed disappointed at the admission of my age, but whatever the jailbait would get over it.

"You're such an old man." Moonshadow giggled pinching my cheek, having to lean across Gaara in some retarded tangle of limbs and excessive amounts of clothing.

"Says the kid acting like an old grandma." I retorted, forcing Gaara to hold the touchy woman as she snapped at me, claw like finger nails almost breaching the gap I'd made between us; this was how lunch continued, our playful insults getting thrown around the table while Kiba was brought into the group like some long lost friend... or a stray dog... I'm pretty sure it's the second one, but the mutt would kick me if I openly admitted that. All memories of what he'd done to them recently forgotten, in preference for this more lively and playful pup I'd picked up on my way through the school. That nick name seemed to stick, along with mutt, dog-breath, puppy, and whatever else I saw fit to call the partial jock was dumped on him, and really he didn't seem to care, just grinning at each one with that infectious smile I couldn't help but always return, with just maybe a little bit of a seductive smirk to it - but the blushes I got for my efforts where well worth it.

TBC...


	6. Chapter 6

"Kankuro when does the bell ring?" Kiba whined, nose nudging my elbow as my head lay beside his own, in answer to his question the bell rung meaning we had to -reluctantly- head off to Chemistry. "Oh... Thanks for lunch, and this afternoon I'll... um..."

"You will meet me at the front gate within ten minutes of the second bell. Gaara this goes for you too! I refuse to wait longer than ten minutes before I'm going for burgers. Got it?" Gaara nodded vigorously and Kiba seemed to become hesitant all of a sudden. "What puppy?" I asked, barely above a whisper as I pulled the smaller boy to my side, arm thrown round his shoulder as I had done at the start of lunch.

"Would it be alright for a dog to go in your car?" He asked with all sincerity in his voice, blinking at him I slipped him down into a head lock and ruffled his hair a little harder than I may have needed to.

"Kiba I might call you a mutt but I wouldn't think so hard about it. I wouldn't want you anything but human... Besides bestiality is just wrong, and frowned upon in our society."

"Not me Kankuro, I meant Akamaru! I can't just leave my best friend at school." He whined shaking himself out of my head lock, big brown eyes pleading with me to allow his friend to drive with us; he totally ignored my jab at his species and our future relationship, maybe I needed to try harder. "I mean if you really do drive a fucking Ferrari man, like hell you'd let my dog in it. He sheds more than Sakura does!" Chuckling deep in my chest I tugged the dog boys brown hair, drawing his attention away from the toes of his shoes and back to face me, his perturbation evident in those glassy orbs of his.

"Of course the fluff ball can join us... Speaking of which, where is your dog man?" I asked realising the tiny white blob hadn't been hanging off of his master during that lunch time, even though he'd chased me down with him so we could talk. A yip silenced my musing, and there the dog was - sleepily blinking at me from the hood of Kiba's over sized jacket, reaching over I ruffled his head too, stating. "If I'd known you where in there dog, I would've given you a pet too. Only fair since your master got fed."

"Hey! You said you didn't mind." The mutt whined, ruffling his hair again I chuckled throatily, dragging him back to my side - enjoying the warmth that was eternally emanating from the kid. Tugging my hood up and sliding a pair of Bollè sunnies on I wrapped my arm more firmly around the mutt's shoulders, taking the lead as we headed off to Chemistry. "What are you doing Kankuro?"

"Giving life to my mutt's daydream." I stated grinning toothily down at him, spluttering slightly he pinched my cheek.

"Not nice Kanky, don't tease me." Shifting my arms round his waist I rested my head on his shoulder, avoiding the dog still chilling in the back of his hood.

"Who said I was teasing you? Can't I please my friends?" I asked making my attentions seem innocent enough, what? I was satisfying two daydreams, his and my own.

'Arf!' Stumbling I tried to rub the dog spittle that was now clinging lovingly to my cheek, Kiba trying to hold back his laughter as Akamaru just yapped happily. The darn dog had taken my distracted state as an opportunity to lick the side of my face, meaning I know smelt like the fluff balls breath and my paint was slightly smudged... not nice. During Kiba's 'withheld' laughing fit and my impression of man kissed by great Aunt Gladice the second bell decided we would both be late.

"You two are late for class... Friday afternoon detention!" Shouted a man with red hair and so many piercings you could use him as a lightening rod. Sharing a look of 'oh-shit-I'm-a-dead-man' Kiba and I scampered down those last few metres to sit through our boring lesson of Chem. With our first female teacher! Her name was Konan, she had blue hair and constantly twirled a white paper rose between her fingers, on her face where enough piercings to rival our other teachers - who later we found out to be her boyfriend, not our fault they shared a PDA (public display of affection for everyone who forgot to take teen talk 101 - I swear I only skipped a few lessons) in front of a class of students. Pein was both Konan's boy, a pierced freak, the teacher who'd yelled at us and a red head who was teaching us Chemistry. The only thing I could possibly say about this man was that his temper could rival Temari's when she was having one of those 'bad' days; he was _almost_ scary.

Also he was CONSTANTLY YELLING! Like there was no off switch to his volume, just louder and louder; the entire class had sat neatly in rows - three rows from the front - writing down anything, everything, that he told us to, that he showed us, that he yelled with spittle at us. By the end of the double my wrist ached, I'd filled the first ten pages of my exercise book and one of my legs had fallen asleep because I'd sat on it funny - but I'd been too afraid to move it during the lesson, I already had a Friday afternoon detention I did NOT need another one.

"And remember to complete chapter two and questions 15 through 25 of the text book!" He yelled at us as we orderly left the classroom, some of us even holding our breath out the door - just in case.

Darting to my locker I grabbed everything I'd need for that night and strolled down the hall, a massive grin plastered on my face at the mere thought of FINALLY getting to devour meat once again. Just imagining that juicy, succulent, slab of freshly cooked, tender flesh waiting for me on a plate; I really needed to stop fantasising about food, it's just weird.

'Arf!' A scampering of nails on linoleum alerted me to the sprint attack of Kiba's little dog, twirling to a graceful stop I scooped the bundle of squirming white into my hands, bringing that black button nose to rest against the point of my own I stared at brown eyes that _could_ rival Kiba's.

"You ready to go fluff-ball?" That's when I heard the thundering, it sounded like someone had released elephants into the school then set a pride of lions on their tails - that wasn't a very realistic safari analogy but it'll do. Dust billowed around a nearby bend and instinct took over, trapping Akamaru against my chest I dove for cover in a nearby alcove, holding the small dog close so as not to allow any harm to come to him - Kiba would skin me alive, and that is not how you get into someones good books. By the way, I was close when I said it was a bunch of elephant, I actually wish it was, but sadly no - it was just the jocks jostling out the door while practically trampling anything and everything that got under their feet. Straightening I stepped carefully out into the corridor, Akamaru still clasped firmly to my chest, looking out the now destroyed double doors I watched the tornado of trampling feet and rugby calls pile onto the old school bus; I swear it actually leant to one side with the force of their entrance.

"Kankuro!" Huh? Turning back to face the inner sanctum -my friends locker bay- I noticed the panicked look on Gaara's... and well almost everyones faces, even Sasuke had a look of worry - sort of, at least I think it was worry, he could've just been constipated... but that's not a mental image I want so I'm sticking with worry.

"We're so sorry, you just disappeared so fast we didn't have time to warn you. You NEVER want to get between the jocks and that door, ever. You'll get trampled into the ground if you do." Sasuke stated, (YaY! it was worry, Kankuro one emotional depravation zero) pointing out destroyed evidence - squished note books, broken equipment and something that I'm sure was once lunch a few minutes ago.

"Don't worry I heard them coming... and did a little rescuing as well." I smirked, ruffling Akamaru's ears in a retarded recreation of what I did to Kiba. "Anyone seen Kiba? I think he'll want his dog back." The entire group did a three-sixty spin, covering all available -open- areas with a searching gaze prison guards would be proud of - yet came up empty.

"Kanky! I can't find Akamaru." Came a whine from behind me, smirking - my favourite facial expression when involving the mutt - I turned waving one of Akamaru's paws at his master; it took the boy a few seconds to process what he was seeing, but once he did a couple of double takes, a smile that could rival Moonshadow's or even Solana's light up his face, I couldn't help but return it with just as much tooth. The boy practically skipped over, scooping the dog up into his arms and rubbing noses with it... Déjà vu much, didn't I just do that to the dog before the jungle stampede. Someone cleared their throat behind me, tilting my head back over my shoulder I raised an eyebrow at Gaara, who just returned the look with one of his own.

"Yeah Bro?"

"Kanky?" Paling slightly I shifted on my feet, refusing to let the blush surface like it was trying so hard to do. Gaara just waited patiently for my embarrassment to pass, while Kiba held back snickers.

"Ask the mutt... He called me it." I muttered darkly, shifting my bag and trying not to glare at the boy; sensing my darkening aura Kiba grinned a little guiltily and tugged at my sleeve, an upset whimper -just like a dogs- escaped his throat. Staying angry, or even mildly irritated, at this kid was near impossible, so with a smirk I ruffled his hair making him flash a toothy grin. "But I am being serious, you gotta ask the mutt. I got no idea how I got called that one."

"Kanky... uh, it's a mix between Kankuro and Kinky." I raised an eyebrow at him, and he blushed focusing on his shoes again. "Its just you always smirk like there something kinky running through your head."

"That's 'cause there usually is." I stated running fingers through the hair at the back of my neck, Gaara nodding his head in agreement. "Anyway, enough of this, I'm up for meat and if we keep blabbing about nick names and stuff we'll loose the good seats." Turning slightly I ushered Gaara out the door, noticing that he hadn't let go of Moonshadow's hand since their appearance after the stampede; glancing over my shoulder I noticed Kiba was still staring at the floor, eyes glazed over. Pivoting I clapped my hands together, snapped my fingers, flicked him on the nose and called his name thrice - getting no reply or reaction at all, I gave up on being polite dropped Akamaru from his arms to the floor and shucked him over my shoulder - finally getting a reaction for that.

"Kankuro put me down!" He hollered claw like nails trying to gain purchase in the layers of my jacket to push himself up and over my shoulder, the only thing he succeeded in doing was push my pants down, and I really didn't feel like having the whole school (over exaggeration much but meh!) checking out my boxers.

"Nope, you blanked so now you get carried... and stop doing that you're pushing my pants down." I added as an after thought, enjoying the way he instantly stilled - practically going limp in my arms, lovely how light he is - means I could probably do this all day. Akamaru yipped at my feet, running ahead to where Gaara was waiting at the car before sprinting back to check that Kiba was alright.

"Kankuro why are you carrying Kiba?" Gaara asked, raising an eyebrow when I was finally close enough to hear him. Smirking I just shifted the mutt on my shoulder, digging the keys out of my pocket I unlocked the doors, dropping the dog on the backseat and allowed my mutt's mutt to jump in onto his master.

"Boy froze up, and we only had two minutes before I wanted out of here. So~o..." I shrugged again smirking as my brother slid into the passenger seat with an irate sigh. Chuckling I skimmed across the hood of my car, gliding with ease into my seat and starting my baby's engine with a sigh of my own. A gasp came from the backseat as I started pulling out of the school parking lot, glancing back through the rearview mirror I noted that Kiba was sitting rather upright with Akamaru clasped perhaps a little too tightly to his chest. "You okay Kiba?" I asked, as the dog boy shifted uncomfortably, his face pale with red cheeks.

"Did you know Kankuro... that the backseat... the backseat vibrates." He gasped, burying his face into the crook of the dogs neck, I almost slammed the breaks on right there and then.

"The backseat vibrates, seriously? You're not just pulling my leg, right?" I asked, watching him shift uncomfortably, body shivering from the sensations he was receiving from the car engine vibrations.

"Not... joking... Kanky!" He whined, shifting again, feeling sort of sorry for the mutt - because he was, sort of, highly sensitive and this must be getting close to torture for him - I reached a hand back, stroking my fingers along the bone of his cheek; relishing in the way he leaned into the touch.

"You going to be alright?"

"Fine... just wasn't prepared for that. I'll be alright, now." He answered, breath ghosting up my wrist in puffs; attempting to pull my hand away it was stopped by lips against my finger tips and clammy fingers wrapping around my wrist. Sighing I left my hand where it was, enjoying the way he was pushing lips and nudging his nose against the palm of my hand, breath just a ghost against skin.

TBC...


	7. Chapter 7

The burger place _was_ only a short distance from school, even so, it had been long enough for a kink to form between my shoulder blades; but the feeling of soft skin against my own was just to comfortable to give up easily. Our destination seemed a bit flash to serve burgers, lots of black wire and neatly pruned rose bushes, there where french doors at the front which allowed the inside of the place to spill outside, even the sign was seriously fancy - done in a victorian script it curved and flowed in gold letters on black backing, an exquisitely drawn rose flower and stem ending the name - The Rose Hollow. Pulling into a parking space at the front of the building I got this feeling that I was too under dressed to even step across the property line, Gaara stood beside me shifting nervously, and Kiba - well he put Akamaru down on the ground before lacing his fingers through my own, giving his hand a comforting squeeze we stepped onto the property. Akamaru was making himself at home by relieving himself on the owners lemon tree, making Kiba pull this face halfway between shit-I'm-gonna-die and thank-god-it-was-'that'-tree. Taking up what was left of my confidence I strolled forward, and into - what could only be described as - the world's greatest fire trap. Everywhere there was mahogany, or teak, or oak, and even some pine, it made up bookshelves and wall panels, the counter and floors, at least the display case had glass on it - with a gold outline inside a wood frame. The tables where black metal, twisted round to make a trunk to support the clear glass circle top, the chairs followed the same principle, except at the tips of their backs on the supporting edge someone had painstakingly painted on a white rose with gold highlights.

"It took you boys long enough." A very, very familiar voice stated, looking up from my awe inspired staring I sent a mildly surprised look towards the presence, Moonshadow grinned back at us from her place leaning against the counter top, she'd somehow beaten us here - changed her cloths to black jeans, black button up, black waist apron, black boots, gold name badge and even pulled her long black hair into a bun - that's a lot of black on one girl. Wolf ears twitched happily on her head, while the tail waved behind her back -didn't know she had that, Gaara should be pleased, he can pet her like a dog now, and Tem will let her sleep at the end of his bed. "It was three burgers right, because I've already got Solana finishing them off and she hates having to alter orders at this stage."

"Yeah, three burgers. So you work here?" I asked as she directed us to a table, gratefully taking the seat she'd indicated to. She hummed in agreement as she placed a couple of cokes down before each of us, before sitting down to chat with us properly.

"I don't just work here, I own half of it... Live upstairs to." She added, leaning back in her chair, a sly grin on her lips. "Solana owns the other half."

"So you guys live alone and support yourselves financially." Gaara stated, a _little_ impressed, Moon's grin spread and she pulled another chair up, placing a lemonade in front of it. As if on some sort of perfectly planned cue Solana waltzed out of the kitchen balancing three hamburgers on a tray and a bowl of Nachos, although you could not call these masterpieces of culinary expertise simple _hamburgers_. These where mouthwatering creations between slabs of sourdough, I'm pretty sure they even built the patty from scratch - impressive.

"It's all organic, supplied by local farmers we've hand picked through a highly rigorous selection process. The hamburgers are catered to suit each clients taste - from first impression of course and are made from scratch. We even make the bread here." Solana boasted helpfully, enjoying the way we practically inhaled the food, swallowing the chips whole. "We aim to please customers, not make them regret ordering food."

"Well you sure as hell impressed us." I growled practically tearing through the hamburger, a smug smirk spread across the two girls faces as they shared the Nachos between them, Moon enjoying the chilli flakes on one side and Solana enjoying a cool relish on the other.

After the food was finished (and we'd remembered our manners and cleaned ourselves up), we moved up stairs to the girl's lounge room. It was rather spacious with lots of wood and bookshelves pushed to the outside of the room, several leather couches circled around an open indoor fire pit, a kitchenette towards the back was made from more wood and black tinted stainless steel. On the walls hung some very intricate pictures of pencil sketches - animals, an old style house, and a girl in a victorian dress - they where very well done. The two dogs leapt up from one of the couches, Akamaru bounding over with happy yips he settled between the two, both dogs giving the younger one some pampering - they started cleaning him - perhaps I should stop them from doing that as it would leave the mutt slobbery. Solana spread out across the opposite couch to the dogs, Moonshadow sat down beside Gaara curling her hand in his while Kiba sat down at the end of the other couch. Trying not to smirk again I lay down pulling the other boy against my chest as we lay talking to the others, my chin resting on top of his head while he happily toyed with my left hand. We talked and laughed for hours, until the sun set behind the tree line, Akamaru had dosed off with the other two dogs while Kiba had starting drifting curled against my chest, Gaara seemed just as dopey across from Moonshadow - who'd already given in to temptation and dropped off to sleep beside him. Sending an apologetic look to Solana I rose, lifting the younger boy into my arms so his head was against my shoulder and I could properly support his whole weight.

"We'd better go... Thank you for the meal, we'll see you at school tomorrow." Solana nodded giving me a slight hug goodbye before stirring Moonshadow awake, the two girls helped me get Gaara and Akamaru down to the car - because my hands where a bit full with Kiba. Smiling slightly I lay the boy on the backseat, watching him curl up with a slight snuffle, Akamaru placed himself behind his bent knees curling into a ball to sleep off the days excitement. Sleepily Gaara slid into the passenger seat as I started the engine, the two girls on the steps of the cafe waved us off until we where out of sight - probably before they started packing up their business for the day. Driving more carefully than I would've any other time I headed home, making sure Kiba was alright on the backseat.

"What are we going to do with him?" Gaara asked as the mutt sniffled, shifting in my seat I thought thoroughly about our options. Knowing it was the best course I pulled over, reaching into the back to stir the boy.

"Kiba! Come on pup, I need you to wake up. Kiba! Kiba!" Soft brown eyes blinked open to stare up at me, a hand wiped the sleep from them as the boy sat up attention completely on me. "It's getting dark pup, it's not safe for you to wander the streets on your own. I'll drive you home okay?"

"Okay." he whispered, voice sounding a little hoarse. "Turn left here and keep driving along that road until you see the gate with the 'beware of dogs' sign on it." Nodding I followed his instructions, the house in particular was an old flat brick structure, a yard about the size of half a football field stretched from back to front with three dogs scampering around in it already. Most of the trees and other plant life looked rather scraggily, abused I was guessing by the dogs charging round like bulldozers.

"Alright, we'll see you tomorrow at school pup." I stated watching him slide out of the passenger door, Akamaru pulled against his chest; his parting act was a small wave in my direction, before he jumped the fence and trotted inside. A small smile spreading across my face as the car pulled away from the curb, completely ignoring the truck that almost ran me down as we left, too happy to even let the pile of chemistry homework get me down.

When we reached our house the street lights had been on for awhile, the porch light had been left on for us and a smell (something like burning sugar over a wood fire) greeted us as we waltzed in the door, bags weighing heavily on our shoulders.

"So the troublesome duo return at last! How was your first day at school?" Temari asked, shouting from the kitchen, glancing side-long at Gaara we shrugged in unison.

"Fine!" We shouted back, even if it was an unsatisfactory answer by Temari's standards.

"We ate on the way home, so we're just going to go finish off our homework! Okay!? Night Tem!" I shouted scampering up the stairs, with Gaara in full tow.

"But what about my dinner!? I made ravioli specially!" Came the screech, the frying pan narrowly avoiding us as we deserted our previous standing spot. Now I was glad that we'd eaten earlier, Temari and ravioli meant something burnt and bubbling - and usually a morning after of food poisoning with major headaches and multiple trips to sit beside the toilet in the bathroom - never a pretty sight.

"Nice save Kankuro, I'm not up for another Ravioli gone wrong experience." Humming in agreement I wrenched the chemistry text-book from my bag and flipped it open to chapter two, scanning the first paragraph about ionic bonding. "If you don't understand anything you know where my room is." Gaara laughed, skipping into his bedroom before I could strangle him mercilessly.

"I'm not stupid I can do chemistry!" I shrieked in reply, glaring heatedly at the text book as I toed my door shut, throwing the dastardly thing onto my bed before stalking into the bathroom to shower before the hot water ran out.

Standing under the torrent of water I thought about the day I'd had, the friends I'd made, the enemies I'd threatened, the jokes, the playful teasing, the strangeness of my new school, and of course the dog boy I'd taken a liking to. Surprisingly it was a decent first day, I just hoped the second would be just as peacefully perfect.

TBC...


	8. Chapter 8

See this is why you should never hope for things to turn out alright - they never do...

Tuesday started with me rolling off my bed, taking Gaara and the blankets with me. There was a confirmation from Gaara that he had once again suffered from a form of nightmare, this one about the never ending corridors of the school. The thing is he warned me that today something would happen and I'd be affected; and of course, like always, he was right.

We arrived at school earlier that morning, only because of the afore mentioned wake up, to be greeted by hostility; not from our group, but from the rest of the school there was a hostility I wasn't expecting. Whispers behind hands, shifting eyes and, most importantly Kiba wasn't there, my mutt didn't come to school; the entire day I couldn't help but scowl as the minutes ticked by and the dog still didn't show.

Wednesday was worse, Sakura wasn't there and the glares, sneers, and whispers where getting worse, and more concentrated - concentrated on me. Moonshadow sat beside me at lunch and just hugged me, she seemed stricken, upset and she seemed to be holding back tears; if Moon was suffering from what she was hearing, then it would be best not to know what they where saying.

Thursday was like trying to swim through porridge, a horrible mess, Sakura arrived back looking smug and satisfied, but still Kiba remained away like the school had the plague or something... WHAT THE HELL WAS GOING ON!? I missed the mutt, and I even missed Akamaru, yet neither of them showed up and things just seemed to get worse for me. Snickers, sneers, and those god damn WHISPERS, kept following me around; what had I done to turn the entire jock population on me? God, I missed Kiba so much right now...

My life went into a downward spiral, my confidence was dashed, the mutt hadn't shown up at all, and now it was Friday morning and I was -slightly- scared shitless. Being completely irrational I spent the morning in my car, listening to celtic ballads and reading my History textbook, until after the morning tea break and I was finally forced to make an appearance at school, only to receive the shock of my life - I almost walked into the door in surprise.

There he was, laughing and chatting with the other jocks, sitting at the front of the class with all his friends, Sakura sitting on his lap with a wicked grin on her face - like she was the cat who'd just got the milk, the cream, the fish and scared off the neighbourhood dog. Gaara sent me an apologetic look as he skulked away to sit beside Moonshadow, the entire group of friends sent me a sad smile, indicating to an extra seat next to them; shaking my head I waved them off with a wavering, hurt, smile.

Hidan, a grey haired Jashinist with a serious masochistic side, and Kakuzu, an old geezer covered in stitches from fighting in wars and with Hidan, entered into the room with a bang; our history teachers we're (like all our other teachers) a couple, but they had a tendency to rely heavily on their fists whenever they started an argument, it was just best to leave if they where in one of 'those' moods.

"Homework is to fucking read god damn chapters four to bloody six, if this mother-fucking geezer has nothing fucking against it." Hidan spat, verbally assaulting the homework and his boyfriend... actually their more like friends with benefits from what we've seen.

"Oh no your royal bitchiness, but they need to do questions 16 to 23. If you remember you half blind asshole." Kakuzu retaliated, and that was the signal for us to get out of there - he'd created the code word 'blind' for when he wanted the students to vanish from class. Going as quietly as possible, so as not to invoke their concentrated wrath, the whole class stood and shuffled out the door, eyes downcast and mouths shut. Though once we where all outside a rabble of noise started, everyone was mingling like one giant group, everyone except me; I slunk away head down, shoulders up, using the shadows to cover my trail.

Stepping round the corner leading to my locker I was forced to a standstill, a cold shiver of horror running up my spine; there Kiba was draped over Sakura as they leant on my locker, mouths locked in an embrace that would lead to a major exchange of saliva.

Stomach heaving I placed, what I hoped to be, a mask of indifference and attitude on and stalked forward, a confidence in my step that I didn't have; reaching the locker I cleared my throat to alert the still tongue tied couple, watching with slight mirth as Kiba spun around, eyes bugging out of his head, while Sakura just stood leaning against my locker, something akin to satisfaction in her ugly green eyes, I wonder if purple and yellow would go nicely with them.

"Move slut." I growled sweeping her out of the way to twist the locker open, dumping my books and grabbing my lunch, I slammed the door shut with maybe just a touch too much force; Kiba jumping at the sudden sharpness of the noise.

"Kankuro, I... I... I..." Kiba spluttered, his eyes begging with me, and I could feel my anger subside, until that whore curled her arm around his waist and I remembered what had just occurred.

"Shut it mutt, just remember from now on that this is my locker, and I never want to see you against it again." The words just rumbled up through my throat, as I stalked away, anger and pain like a veil around me. Footsteps, fast and heavy, chased me down, warmth seeped into the skin at my elbow as Kiba's arm came closer; but I just couldn't bear to be with him at that moment. Rounding on the one I'd grown too fond of in too short a time frame, I slapped his arm away from me, all the anger seeping into my pores the longer I looked at the boy, snarling I towered above him. "Do not TOUCH me, do not SPEAK to me, do not make EYE CONTACT with me, ever AGAIN. Am I clear Inuzuka?! I don't want to even be reminded of your existence. Got it!?"

Spinning back the way I'd been going, I stalked away, growling like a savage animal as I did so. Hopefully, from the way I'd used his last name, he'd get the point that he had been walking on a tightrope, now he was free falling to his death - basically I was pissed with him, pissed enough to use his name with venom AND raise my voice. Somehow I needed to expel all this unwanted energy, heading through the cafeteria I dumped my lunch and stripped off my jacket, throwing them to Gaara (who was waiting for the rest of the group to show up at our new table) I gave him a look, and ran off into the forest that surrounded the school like some living fence. Gaara would know something was up now, I never ran unless I was angry or upset, and this time I was both.

TBC...


	9. Chapter 9

The forest was unwelcoming and cold, my breathing was concentrated into heavy pants, with my leg muscles screamed at this over exertion, but nothing could stop me, this physical pain was nothing compared to the emotional ache that was in my chest. Tears ran freely down my cheeks, blurring my vision as I ran, tree branches reaching out and cutting at my arms and sides, some whipping me in the face as I stumbled blindly onwards. Grass brushed at my fingers, calling me down into its length, knees giving out I sank to the earth, fists clenched, head thrown back and never ending tears streaming down my face.

"RRRAAAHHHRRRR!" I roared, like some wild beast, I threw my head back and roared like a caged lion, it was loud, pain-filled and ominous. The weight in my chest settled to the size of a cricket ball on the middle-left and my stomach knotted itself into a pair of knee high socks. Dejected, self-loathing and pained I limped back to the school yard to sit through art with Sasori and Deidara, the only two teachers who cared about me.

On Thursday when we'd first met I remember Sasori from my old school, he was a young teacher with red hair and a passion for wood work, he'd taken me under his wing at the old school before he'd fallen in love with a passionate blonde (Deidara) who's opinion on art was that it should be fleeting and done with a boom - he painted whole rooms with exploding paint balls, they where always bright and rather stunning. They'd left during my second year of high school, Sasori had been my mentor and he still loved to see me because he remembered the little boy I'd been with a passion for wood work and all art in general. And there was one thing I loved about art more than anything...

No one else showed up...

Arriving back at the lunch table I picked up my jacket from Gaara, but ignored the lunch he tried to hand back to me, only getting a worried look and some attempted parenting words - I flicked them off with a glare, he could see I'd been crying, he always knew. This worried him the most, I hadn't cried in years, not since the day before dad's death, the day I'd almost died... but that story isn't important right now, so I'll tell you it another time. Walking through the halls I felt like a target had been painted on my back, the entire group of jocks was glowering at me like I'd punched them or something, but Sakura and Kiba where no where to be seen - good, I wasn't going to be responsible for what happened to them if they did get in my way.

On autopilot I grabbed my stuff and went to class, not saying a word as the bell rang and I took my seat. As if sensing my turmoil Deidara flitted over and hugged me, it was awkward with Sasori watching like a hawk from the other side of the room but when the blonde pulled away the red head came over and placed a hand on my head. A canvas was placed in front of me as well as some very dark looking paints, so I could my express myself the way words couldn't - as Deidara always put it.

"Are you going to tell us what's wrong? Or are you just going to cover the canvas in black paint?" Sasori asked watching as the white disappeared from the page, only to be replaced by shadows, dark, dark shadows of emotion.

"I'll tell you when I'm finished." I muttered grabbing the iridescent purple next, my memory flashing back to the sketch on Moonshadow's desk, the cat and the dog wrapped up in each other. Painting exactly what I saw in my minds eye I then grabbed a bloody red on the end of a scalpel and ripped the image in two, separating the cat from the dog with a jagged bleeding line.

"Very expressive Kankuro, now explain the emotions you where trying to portray." Deidara stated, sounding more teacher like than Sasori ever did; the blonde sat down on Sasori's lap, tugging at his own fringe.

"The first day I saw this image on the desk I was sitting at, and I met a boy..."

"Ah! Let me guess, he was very dog like, you took a liking to him and the image reminded you of your relationship with him, the cat and dog wrapped around each other, rivals now lovers."

"We didn't get that far." I muttered darkly fingers tracing over the dog's outline, god why did I still crave him? Crave the feeling of his skin on mine? Those brown eyes forever worshipping me? His complete obliviousness to my true feelings?

"It doesn't matter if you accepted each other physically, emotionally you connected on that level. Then he did something, something you only know half the story to and yet you burst at him. That anger of yours took control, and you forgot that there are always two sides to every story, unable to accept his you ran. Ran like a coward as your heart broke in two, and you cursed his name, told him never to come near you again that you never wanted to speak with him again. And you still curse him, but you hate yourself more because you want to know what you could've done to make him see you like you see him, show him those emotions that you only ever express when there's something else between you and the kid."

"You're half right, emotionally I connected to him on that 'lovers' level, even after just one day. But I ran cursing his name and loathing myself because if only I'd shown that thick headed idiot that I really did have feelings for him, he wouldn't have... he wouldn't have gone with that whore." I couldn't cry anymore, I'd run out of tears, but the ache remained there as a reminder of the misdeed my dog had done.

"Whore? Oh, you mean Sakura. So apparently the dog you where talking about must've been Kiba. I can't believe you fell for that mutt, he and Sakura spent Wednesday off, because they where you know... doing each other." Deidara added, blushing slightly - how old was this guy - my jaw locked up at this admission, my innocent little dog had been soiled by a girl, his first kiss had been with that slut. I just felt so used, so rejected, my flirting hadn't been enough, I'd tried to make my intentions clear to the boy and yet I'd been left behind, replaced by a girl - why am I not surprised? Kiba hadn't openly expressed being completely gay, but he'd flirted with me so... now I was just confused. Maybe it was only flirting in my mind, maybe that was just how he was. He could've just seen me as a friend, and he really did want to sleep with women... then why had he burst at her on Monday, saying he was gay and not interested in her? I needed my dog, my head hurt and I needed my dog to tell me everything was alright. I needed Kiba to tell me everything was alright.

"Thanks... I didn't guess by the fact they where having a saliva swapping session on my locker." I growled, glowering at the purple dog, tempted as I was to desecrate its image I left it be, this was still my Kiba, even if I'd lost him to a pink haired irritation.

"Why don't you go home Kankuro, you don't look like you've been sleeping well. And emotional stress like this can really take its toll on the body, especially if you skipped lunch."

"How did you-?" He cut me off with a raised hand, gentle as it was I still felt cheated.

"Moonshadow and Solana came and found us, those two girls will protect you even with their own problems. They don't want anything to happen to you that might make you feel separated from the group. So now go home, eat lunch and have a decent sleep." Packing everything up, pulling the painting over my shoulder, I turned at the door, giving my teachers a half hearted smile.

"I can't go home, thanks to Pein I've got an afternoon detention... with Kiba." Sasori pulled a face that screamed 'you-should-just-go-home-spending-an-hour-with-you r-not-lover-crush-is-just-awkward.' while Deidara gave a small smile, waving me off to an afternoon filled with doom.

Walking out into the hallway I caught Gaara on his way out, he sent me a curious look while I returned it apologetically.

"I've got detention... you'll have to make your way home by yourself today." I muttered watching as he nodded, calling out to catch up with Moonshadow, their awkward relationship seemed to be blossoming. How was that even possible, Gaara had just caught Moonshadow by the arm and suddenly they where a couple, why couldn't it be that easy for me with Kiba.

TBC...


	10. Chapter 10

Pein was waiting in front of the chemistry classroom, two mops and buckets beside him, a smirk of sadistic satisfaction on his face.

"You'll be cleaning the hallway floors today, they seem rather messy after just one week. You can start at the East end working your way into the cafeteria, and I will send that lazy bastard to meet you when he finally shows up." Taking a bucket and mop I walked to the darkest side of the school, sighing I began, watching the soapy water gleam on the cold dirty tiles. An hour into my work footsteps alerted me to the presence of my cleaning partner, ignoring the other boy I continued to work my way down the corridor, the slosh of water and slap of the mop tendrils against the tiles the only sounds as we worked. Turning I checked the spaces I'd gone over, making sure that no area hadn't been missed, only to come across a space that was pilling with grime.

'clank'

The two mops hit together as both Kiba and I attempted to clean the same spot at the same time. Without looking the dog boy in the eye I knocked against his mop again.

"Move the mop Inuzuka." I growled, there was a sharp whine and the mop was ripped from my hands and a warm hug was given to my waist.

"I know you're angry at me, and I'm not going to ask you to forgive me. But can we still be friends, I don't like having you angry with me. On Saturday we're all going down to the park, everyone, even Moonshadow and Solana, I just want you to come. I don't care if you don't talk to me or anything but just come, please." tears trickled down the cheeks of the dog as he clung to the back of my knees.

"Fine I'll come, but only because my friends are going. I won't be speaking to you, and I'm still angry with you." There was a soft whine from the floor, looking down Kiba was still clinging to me, his eyes downcast to the ground - it was like I'd kicked a dog or something.

"Why are you so angry with me?" He whined blinking up at me through tear stained eyes, using leverage I pushed him off me and slid down the locker bay, pulling him so his toes touched mine.

"Well what do you expect, you where bloody checking Sakura's tonsils on my locker. I don't care if you like her or anything but I'm not a fan on public displays of affection on my stuff. Now if you'll excuse me I want to get out of this detention." Standing up I grabbed the mop again, finishing off the section before moving off down the hall.

"I still don't get it, why are you angry with me?"

"Because... Just because..." '_because I (might) love you..._' I left the rest unsaid, turning my back on the boy who'd caught my eye in less than two hours. Which is how long it took for us to finish cleaning the floors, exhausted and practically unable to remain standing I stumbled outside, heading towards my car. The sun was so close to setting, a few more minutes and it would be dark. Amazing how long it takes to clean floors, especially that front hallway.

"Hey Kankuro." There it was a tiny little voice calling out to me, looking over my shoulder I saw Kiba standing there looking at his shoes, he seemed rather afraid of saying anything to me... This isn't what I wanted, why isn't he laughing and grinning that infectious grin, I'll have to make this right, this has gone too far and in the wrong direction - I just wanted some space from him for a little while, not to completely scare him away from me.

"Yeah Kiba."

"Could you please give me a lift... It's just it's getting dark and I'm not up to walking through this neighbourhood this late." Reaching out a hand I took his, guiding him to the car with a quick pace. "Thank you." He muttered once we where both seated in the front, the engine rumbling to life like a beast.

"It's fine." And that was the last thing said the entire drive, the silence becoming so thick you could separate it with a knife the closer we got to Kiba's house; the boy even seemed to be hyperventilating. Pulling into the his street, a big red truck sat outside his house, Kiba gasped and seemed to sink deeper into the seat, like he was trying to hide. Taking in his fear, I pulled the car off the road on the opposite side of the street, just letting the engine hum around us like an electric blanket. "Tell me what's wrong Kiba."

"It doesn't concern you, thanks for the lift." He muttered trying to get out of the car, only to be stopped by my hand on his arm.

"Kiba... You just tried to vanish into my upholstery, tell me what's the matter." There was a small whine and then I had a lap full of Kiba, tears seeking location in my shirt, his arms locking around my neck, his knees sticking into my arm pits.

"It's my dad... He only shows up once every year so mum took back her maiden name, but he hates us kids. My sisters left home so she doesn't have to worry about him, but he really hates me. I'm... I'm gay Kankuro, and he just hates that."

"But wait you where making out with Sakura earlier."

"Yeah because I need to fake being straight when he's around, when you caught us my dad had just stopped by to check on my grades. I'm so sorry if you assumed I was going out with her. Dad hates homosexuals, and one year he found... found some ah~ stuff, under my bed. He's got a mean streak and a wicked back hand. He bea-" I squeezed the life out of him then, finishing off his sentence with a high pitched squeak.

"I know, I know puppy, it's okay. I've got you, he can't hurt you. Let's get you out of here, okay. You'll stay at my house until he leaves, and tomorrow after the day at the park we'll come back and grab you some stuff. Alright?"

"Okay." He whispered sliding back into his seat as I revved the engine and sped off down the street. The street lights flickered on as I rolled into the drive-way, Kiba looked drained as he pulled himself out of the car, taking his hand gently in mine I guided him into the house.

"Temari I'm home!"

"FOR THE LOVE OF GOD KANKURO WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BE- Oh hello there." Temari calmed down relatively quickly as she saw the other boy hiding behind me, pulling Kiba closer to me I sent my best apologetic look to Temari, Kiba helped in his own little way by shuffling further behind me and tangling his fingers in the cloth of my jacket, his warm body pressing closer to mine - I could almost see his scared bulging eyes from the corner of my own.

"Tem, this is Kiba, he's a friend from school. And at the moment he needs a place to chill for a while. Is it okay if he stays here for a few days...?" Temari sent me her 'I'll-yell-at-you-later.' look before pulling Kiba out from behind me, ignoring the whine the boy gave as he was dragged from behind his protective blanket, I had to resist the urge to reach forward and snatch him back to his previous position, protecting the boy from my sisters... wrath?

"Awe poor boy, I'll cook lasagne tonight in your honour. You can bunk with Kankuro - you! fetch him some toiletries from the spare bathroom, a towel, and get some extra pillows and spread your bed out so you can all fit. Kiba come help me in the kitchen." Temari ordered, dragging him off towards the kitchen while I tried to save him, a futile attempt against my older sister.

TBC...

**A/N: Foreshadowing my readers, foreshadowing.**


	11. Chapter 11

Skulking off I did as I was instructed, sprinting down the stairs when Tem called for dinner, Gaara joining me in the rush, only to freeze dead when he saw Kiba sitting at the table looking small.

'_Withhold urge to hug, do not hug, do not hug..._' I chanted sitting down stiffly as Gaara walked further into the room.

"Hey Kiba!? What are you doing here?" Gaara asked taking his place across from Tem while I sat down across from Kiba.

"He's staying the night... Kankuro wouldn't go into detail about the reasons, but whatever, we'll treat him like family... Besides be glad he's here, it means you get to eat meat." Temari countered indicating to the rather large slab of lasagne awaiting us on our plates.

"Whatever you say... So where's Akamaru?" Gaara asked, attempting to make some small talk before food became the top priority.

"At home... He's safer with the other dogs than hanging with me at the moment." Kiba muttered, fiddling with the silverware beside him. And that was the last he said about it.

All through dinner we remained silent while Tem tried to get more information out of Kiba and I about his unexpected sleep over. Trying to inhale the dinner Gaara, Kiba and I pretty much ignored everything Tem said, we dived out of our seats when the last piece of meat was off our plate and the cutlery had clattered to the china, sprinting up the stairs we slowed once we'd reached the second floor. Gaara gave me one of his 'looks' and said goodnight to Kiba, sliding off down the hall to his own room. Slinking my arm around Kiba's waist I lead him gently into my room, watching as he walked freely over to the queen sized bed, fingers dancing over the black sheets and purple donna. Resisting the urge to walk over and hug him from behind I threw a towel beside him and walked into the bathroom.

"I'm going to shower, you can chill here until I get back." I heard some sort of acknowledgement of my statement as I snapped the lock on the door and turned the shower to scorching. Standing under the torrent of water I forgot all about my crush sitting in my bedroom, brushing my teeth, washing my hair and then realising that I'd successfully left my pants in my room - woops. Wrapping the towel around my waist and throwing my baggy shirt on, I ruffled my hair trying to dry it, as I walked into the bedroom, only to stop dead as a startled gasp came from the bed. Snapping my head up I looked at the body spread across the black sheets, Kiba was hanging upside-down from the end watching me with wide eyes; glancing across the boy I looked down at myself and smiled sheepishly ruffling my wet hair again. "Ah, sorry... I... um... I didn't mean to... really I don't usually walk around... like this... I just need... um.. pants... yeah..."

'BAM' The door shuddered as it rebounded off the wall, and a pyjama dressed Gaara waltzed in; I'd eventually have to teach him a thing or two about privacy and KNOCKING!

"Hey Kankuro did I leave my ipod in - WOH!" Gaara stuttered to a stop, bright teal eyes staring between me and the boy still lying upside-down on my bed. "Wow, this is awkward. If I'd known I wouldn't've come in here without a little warning. Oh, before I leave one more thing... Wait-a-go Kankuro, didn't know you'd go for such an odd position, it would work better if you flipped him on all fours but you know each to his own."

"Get the hell out of here!" I snarled throwing a spare book at the door as Gaara danced out, the book doing nothing more than closing the door behind him. Damn Gaara and his yaoi collection. Kiba shifted on the bed, knees going up as he straightened to a sitting position. "Sorry about Gaara, he's like that sometimes... Um.. could you pass me my pants their... you're sitting on them."

"Sorry." Kiba whispered pulling the pants out from under him and chucking them back to me, a blush on his checks as I turned and dropped the towel and pulled the long pants on.

"The shower's free if you want one... and you can pick a side of the bed when you get out." I muttered rubbing my hair with the towel before chucking it in the wash basket, sitting at my desk I started on the last of my homework, listening to the rustle as Kiba left the bed towards the bathroom. Trying to concentrate I plugged myself into my ipod, pretending to read the chemistry chapters and listen to the song 'Take it off' by Ke$ha - I don't even think this was my ipod, this is Gaara's. It wasn't until after ten that I finished the work and realised I'd been working for three hours straight. Stretching I stood, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I flopped down onto the edge of the bed checking the time I looked over my shoulder just to snort at the position Kiba had taken on the bed, curled around with my pillow between his legs while he lay in the middle of the bed so no matter how careful I'd be he'd wake at the slightest movement. Pushing his hair out of his eyes I watched the brown appear in a muddy haze, fingers untangled themselves from the fabric of the bed sheet to find purchase in my hair; a sharp tug and I was inches from his face, the muddy eyes tried to concentrate as I was tugged closer but just gave up. There was a heart heaving sigh as I was suddenly organised onto the bed, legs sliding around my waist while a weight was thrown onto my chest, warm breath ghosted under my ear and the muscles above mine moved as the boy shifted perfectly into a cuddly position with his hair ghosting across the bottom of my chin.

"Kankuro, hold me." Kiba whispered, fingers tightening in my pectoral muscles.

"I've got you Kiba, I've got you and I'm not letting go." I whispered into his ear, arms wrapping around his back; there was a shiver up his spine and a deep throated whine as he curled closer against me.

"Say it again."

"What?" I asked, confusing sitting heavily in my chemistry addled brain. See kids never do chemistry before talking with the boy your trying to permanently please, everything only makes sense if they're speaking elements or bonding.

"Say my name like that again." He muttered, semi-consciously my fingers sought his hair in an attempt to find a connection with the boy, repetitiously I repeated his name, whispering it to him as he spread out across me, trapping my body under his as he began to drift back into his slumber. "I'm yours Kankuro, only yours..." He sighed, eyes fluttering shut, leaving me with his admission while I lay under him on the bed, sleep evading me as what he'd just said ran through my head like a broken record. Kiba Inuzuka was mine, and eventually I'd be his... Just not yet...

TBC...

**A/N: I thank all of those who have placed this story in their favourites, and written reviews. I hope you enjoy the future chapters. **


	12. Chapter 12

There's one thing I hate about living with my siblings, one doesn't sleep because of vicious, vivid nightmares, and the other wakes up at bloody FIVE IN THE MORNING! The sound of the clunking pipes as Temari took her morning shower woke me from my slumber, but a warmth at my side, so close and seeking that it couldn't've been Gaara, made me settle down again; if only to throw an arm around the body and drag it closer so I could bury my nose in the scented locks of my detention partner. A soft snuffling came from my chest as Kiba woke, bleary eyes gazing up into my own, a soft half-hearted smile on the boys face. Resting my forehead against his we lay like that for awhile, my eyes getting heavy as the other boy drifted off once again.

"Kankuro! Remove yourself from our guest and get ready, you and Gaara have that doctors appointment this morning! Don't forget to drop Kiba off before you do and that for some reason I can't fathom you're all going to the park for lunch!" Tem called down the hall, the dog boy stiffened against me - apparently 'doctor' was not a word he liked very much.

"Yeah Temari, we're getting ready!" I called back, arms slinking round the dog-boy as I settled back down, tucking my nose to the bridge of his. "It's okay pup, you're not the one getting the check-up."

"No... but still." Kiba pulled himself up, sliding from the bed while I just spread across the emptied space, propping my head up with a spare elbow (because you know that's something everyone has lying round in their bedroom, spare elbows are just that easy to buy). "The doctors is never a place I've willingly went. It takes three people to haul me into the car and keep me there, JUST so I can show up at the clinic. That was until Solana took a medical course, basic of course, but you know. Now legally she can give basic check-ups for basic medical requirements, but still... it beats going to a proper doctor with his cold hands and wandering fingers."

"You really don't trust other men do you my pup?"

"I trust you, isn't that enough?" He asked, looking up from my bed sheets I blinked at him, and couldn't hold back my choked on gasp; there he stood looking down at me from the end of the bed, hands on hips with shirt and pants removed, basically he was standing watching me (thank God I'd been embarrassed last night and put my jacket on before waking the boy otherwise this position would be really weird) wearing nothing but boxers. Was he trying to get jumped? "Kankuro are you alright? You've turned a funny purple-red in the face. Kankuro?" I had to swallow several times over to regain my voice that was quickly becoming a squeak. But it wasn't helping that Kiba was crawling forward in his current get up, heading straight towards me. Giving up on trying to hide my blush I flipped to my back as he hovered over me.

"Kiba this... this is just a little awkward..."

"But Kankuro I've only got these to wear, everything else is dirty from having to mop the school yesterday. You can't expect me to wear that to the park can you?"

"N-n-n-no... you... we'll get you something from my wardrobe. Is that alright?" Kiba hummed his agreement, sliding from his spot to throw open my wardrobe and start searching through for something acceptable to wear. Shutting my eyes I calmed down to a point where he wouldn't be worried, listening to the sound of the coat hangers being flipped through. I felt uncomfortable as the boy searched through my clothes, but not because of that, it was a feeling low in my gut that was making me cringe. As the feeling rose so did the temperature in the room, noting the sweat dripping from my forehead and the moving concoction in my gut I leapt from the bed and into the bathroom, just in time to retch everything I'd eaten last night up into the toilet. Five minutes I just bent over the bowl, letting everything just come up, taking a deep breath I slammed the lid shut and washed my face with water, brushing my teeth I shuffled into my room, passed the now questioning dog-boy and down the stairs. Temari was in the kitchen speaking to Gaara when I collapsed onto the door frame.

"Shit Kankuro you look like... shit." Gaara stated coming over, Temari gave me a worried look as my brother pressed the back of his hand to my forehead. "Jesus! Kankuro go back to bed right now! You're burning up man, Tem will bring you something for breakfast." Shuddering at the mention of eating something I really couldn't at the moment keep down I gave Gaara my look of pleading.

"I know, I know, you'll have to drive Kiba home bro. And tell everyone sorry..." I stated turning my back on them, limping up the stairs as my head began to swim. Making it back to my room I dumped my toothbrush in the bathroom before flopping onto the bed, burying my face into my pillow.

"Are you alright?" Kiba asked, a hand stroking my hair as I relaxed into the sheets, ready for sleep.

"I've got a high temperature and I just puked everything from yesterday up. Now how do you think I'm feeling?"

"Sorry stupid question... Is there anything I could do to help?" The bed dipped as Kiba sat down beside me, both hands resting on my shoulders, softly massaging my tense muscles along the length of my shoulder blades.

"No... You shouldn't waste your day here, the park's still on, and people will want to see you there. Gaara's driving you, and he'll take you to get your stuff this afternoon. I'll see you then." There was a sigh and then a loving kiss to the back of my neck, just below my hair line. Stifling a yawn I rolled over to watch him tuck me in, and I thought Gaara acted like a mother Kiba was even tucking the scraggily corners of the sheet under the mattress. After fixing my bed so it was almost impossible for me to move Kiba sat down beside me, fingers stroking the sweaty hair from my forehead. "Kiba you-"

"Shut up Kankuro and go to sleep." Kiba growled, taking his advice I let my heavy eyelids fall shut and sleep claim me while my body repaired itself from the food poisoning. I didn't even notice when Kiba started singing some strange lullaby, or when he left for the day when Gaara collected him. I didn't actually notice anything, not even Temari entering the room and leaving an untouchable lunch of food that I couldn't keep down anyway. However I woke shortly after lunch, feeling mildly better than that morning I shuffled down the stairs, expecting to run in to Temari - who'd yell at me to go back to bed - I was mildly surprised that the house was empty; using the alone time to my advantage I stripped in the hall and grabbed a fresh pair of pants and a shirt from the ironing pile, dumping the others in laundry before settling down at the kitchen table with '_1984_' by George Orwell.

TBC.


	13. Chapter 13

I'd almost've fallen asleep where I'd been sitting if the door hadn't been thrown against the wall so hard it sounded like it had just shattered. Thundering footsteps sprinted up the stairs, and down the hall, it would seem someone forgot to call ahead and make sure I was awake before bringing the dog home. Sighing, I hauled myself from the seat and snuck up behind Gaara, checking that my hands where freezing cold I placed them just behind his ears; watching with mirth as he leapt from his skin only to regain his balance on the bannister.

"Damn-it Kankuro don't do that!" He shrieked, a half hearted death glare shot my way.

"You can't blame me for that, you left yourself open to attack." I retorted as I flopped onto the couch, Gaara joining shortly after, giving me a punch in the arm as payback for the cold hands. "So how was the park?"

"Ha, you're gonna have to talk to that dog of yours." Gaara snorted scratching behind his ear as he spread further across his side of the couch. Joining him with the snort I mixed it up with a sigh, of course Kiba'd done something strange.

"What did he do?" There was a small shout, and someone launched themselves over the back of the couch, successfully ending the conversation where it was.

"Nothing, I didn't do anything." Kiba barked, chuckling nervously as he settled between us. Still acting like he'd done something too weird to compare, sending him my 'God-damn-it-what-did-you-do' look I turned to Gaara again, hoping he'd explain the whole situation, because, obviously, Kiba was against any explanation of what the mutt had obviously done.

"Oh yes you did Kiba, we where walking through some of the paths... alright we where hiding from the jocks, they just pissed us off so we scampered off. But anyway we where hiding out there and Kiba just started shaking, then off he runs, straight into the depths of the forest. And of course I chased after him, you'd kill me if your precious mutt got abducted or raped by a creepy old guy. Turns out he was following the scent trail of a Curio vender."

"You found a Curio vender in the middle of nowhere?" I stated, trying not to laugh as the dog buried his head into the couch cushion.

"It's not my fault they just smelled so good, and I was hungr~y." Ruffling the tuft of hair sticking out from between the pillows I flicked the television on and grabbed a controller.

"Come on I've spent the entire day in bed so I'm bored out of my mind right now, let's play Ninja Warz. I want to chop animated characters in half for a few hours." Gaara agreed to play as long as he was his favourite character, some retarded Earth ninja that controlled sand, Kiba (after a thirty minute explanation of the game) agreed to give it a try if he was this werewolf, and I played as my usual character - the puppet master. This was going to be an interesting game...

TBC.


	14. Chapter 14

Temari arrived home at six, slamming the door into the side wall with enough force to shake the books from the shelf on the other side. We'd been playing for three and a half hours, of course I was winning, I owned Kiba's tribe and all their land and (while Gaara tried to invade the southern point of my land) I was attacking the outskirts of Gaara's kingdom with Kiba's help.

"So of course after being sick all day you play video games. What was I expecting from a boy?" Tem cursed glowering at me as we waltzed into the kitchen, intent on devouring the newly bought pies Kiba insisted she'd brought home with her.

"They're relaxing Tem and you said I should be taking things easy." I countered easily, it was the same thing I said every time she whined at me for playing video games after being sick. Kiba snickered lightly as we all crowded into the kitchen, trying not to stand on each other as the dog-boy managed to remove the pies and stand behind me to devour them... Well one of them, he handed one to Gaara and held onto mine, attempting not to drool all over it.

"Whatever, get out of my kitchen so I can work. Dinner's the pies your eating." She growled stalking into the pantry with a pile of different fruits. Rolling my eyes at her irate attitude I grasped Kiba round the bicep and guided him out of the kitchen, while he licked his fingers clean of the pie gravy, Gaara stepping on my heels as we went. Proudly Kiba presented me with the pie, but as I thought about eating it I just felt sick again, with a simple shake of my head I indicated for him to eat; and he did, with a shrug of his shoulders the dog devoured the pie in seconds, smiling in satisfaction as he licked the leftover gravy from his chin with a flick of his tongue. Reaching out a finger I caught the last drop that was making its way down from the corner of his mouth, licking it off I muttered a goodnight to Gaara as he walked off to his room shaking his head in despair.

"Kankuro?"

"Yeah?" soft fingers guided me by my chin so that I was staring straight into the depths of Kiba's eyes, flashes of uncertainty evident in their almost moving orbs.

"...Thank-you..." He whispered, lips pressing against mine in a chaste kiss, that I couldn't help return just as softly; it lasted only a few seconds, but felt like minutes in my mind, before he pulled away with a shy smile as he turned to go into my room. Reacting irrationally I reached out and latched onto his arm almost pulling him back so I could show him what a proper kiss was, instead I did a smart thing and just gave him a smile.

"What am I getting thanked about?" I tried to make my question seem as innocent as possible, instead of letting any of my current thoughts slip from my mind to ruin whatever chances at a relationship we have. "And in such a... a pleasing way?"

"You put up with me all last night, and yesterday. You don't seem to mind my silly side. You like my dog, and that's good because most people don't, they find him annoying. And I... I... I just wanted to." He whispered the last part out, trying to get back inside my room and escape my hand still clinging to his arm. Tugging him back I pressed a kiss to the top of his forehead, aiming for the innocent streak as his arms curled around my back and I was hugged until I could barely breath.

"Come on, let's have a shower before the water runs out." There was a small squeak in protest as we started moving towards the bedroom. Raising an eyebrow at his sudden nervousness, I paused just inside the doorway for him to explain his reluctance.

"We can't shower together... I'm just not comfortable with... that. It is incredibly inappropriate." Rolling my eyes at the dog boy I pushed him towards the bed, with enough force to have him end sprawling across it on the covers.

"Not what I meant dog breath, separate showers Jesus. I'm just saying we should both shower early today before the water runs out, not at the same time." I retorted rolling my eyes at the answer the boy had given, Kiba flushing red at his own sick minded suggestion. "I'll go first then... and I'll take these." I stated throwing a pair of pants and a long baggy shirt into the air, only to sling them over my shoulder and stalk off into the bathroom. Turning the shower on I stripped and stepped under the steaming water, the black shower curtain obscuring my view of the rest of the world.

"So what are we going to do tomorrow?!" Kiba called through the thick wood of the door, his voice sounding funny as it was muffled.

"Don't know but don't talk to me out there, come in here and discuss it." I called back, listening to the silence on the other side before the door clicked open and there was the sound of bare footsteps against tiles. Sticking my head round the side of the curtain I grinned at Kiba as he sat down on the side of the basin, smiling shyly back at me. "So what are you thinking of doing?"

"Could we go shopping? I think you need to get some new clothes." He stated nonchalantly as I started washing my hair, trying not to blink the soap suds into my eyes.

"Alright babe, but only if we get you some too."

"What?!" There was a shifting on the other side of the curtain, and instinctually I knew Kiba had moved closer to the screen hoping to reach a clearer understanding of what I'd just said to him.

"We're getting you clothes too. I refuse to have you staying over here without some proper dress wear. Even if you bring your own, I think it would be a good investment." There was silence for a few seconds as Kiba thought, then a slow chuckle. "What?"

"Kankuro darlin' are you asking me to move in with you?" Spluttering I swallowed hard, trying to think of any explanation to my request.

"I-I-I-I... No~, it's just that... Well me and my old friend did it... So it isn't that weird." I finally managed to get out the half assed excuse, lying through my teeth; yeah that 'old friend' was less of a friend and more of a '_friend_'.

"Sweetheart don't worry too much, I'm all for the idea. Just thought you'd at least take me out for drinks first."

"Kiba you're underaged!" I barked as I shut the shower off, hand appearing around the curtain to grapple for my towel. Soft fluffy fabric met my fingers, as well as Kiba's hand taking my own into his, a kiss placed to the back of my hand as I pulled the towel back to cover myself with.

"It's just a saying, I don't drink at all and I know I'm underage."

"Good, now hand me my pants so I can get dressed." Grudgingly he obliged and I finished dressing in the shower. "Do you want the bathroom now?" I asked stepping out from the screen, giving Kiba a look as he didn't move from his seat on the basin.

"Yeah I'll use the bathroom, but only if you stay here just like I did for you." Smirking I stepped forward, trapping the younger boy against the basin.

"Kiba you have a sick mind... but I'm here for you babe."

"Did you just call me babe?" Smirking I hugged him close, burying my nose into his pale locks.

"Does it matter whether I did or didn't? Let's just get you in that shower so we can go to bed."

"Alright, alright, step back so I can get undressed." He muttered blushing slightly as I stepped away from him, turning my back to give him privacy to get undressed; only turning back once the curtain had rattled closed and the shower had started with a small rattle of pipes and a trickling of water. There was a content sigh from beyond the black curtain and I couldn't help but smirk as I leant back against the basin edge.

"So why am I in need of new clothes?"

"Because everything you have in your wardrobe is just so bland, white shirts, black shirts, baggy pants... Lots of baggy pants, and your hoodie. We need to give you some variety." Chuckling softly, the sound breathy and light, I grinned up at the light, eyes closed to imagine it was the sun from my home town.

"Alright pup, you can take me shopping." I agreed, you could almost hear the smile forming on his face as he shut the water off. Hand reaching out for the towel I willingly handed on to him, the curtain rattled as he swung it back, my eyes instantly drawn to the muscles across his chest and middle that shone with the light reflected by the water still dripping down his shoulders along his mid-length brown hair. Swallowing hard I forced my head to turn slightly away from the underdressed boy as he waltzed out of the bathroom and into the bedroom, where a black overnight bag was waiting on my bed. From it he removed a pair of dark red boxers and a singlet. I barked back laughter at what he was wearing to bed, making brown eyes flash back to stare at me in question.

"What?"

"You ask that question too much you know?"

"Yes, yes now tell me why you laughed."

"Sorry its just, it's about ten degrees around here and you want to wear underwear to bed." Kiba just rolled his eyes at me, the towel dropping from his waist, giving me a great view of the tanned ass he'd never flaunted much, the muscles along his back contracting and relaxing as he reached forward to grab the boxers, tanned legs that seemed more like loaded springs than human muscle going on forever. It took all my willpower to stay in the bathroom, a safe distance from my eternal temptation. Once he was finished dressing he turned on me, and only then did I notice his red triangles where still on his face. Within a few strides I'd managed to press him against my chest while my finger traced the colour, a confused look must've been on my face because he sighed heavily.

"They're not face paint like yours, I'm branded by them. For eternity and then some I will always bear these marks, these marks that link me to my fathers family and make it near impossible for me to hide." A stray tear trickled down the side of his cheek and across my fingers which where holding his face so tenderly it was like I was afraid I'd break him.

"You worry that even if you change your name, your identity, they'll find you again. No place to run, no place to hide, forever theirs even if you take a partner of your own, it's their touch, their mark, the one you'll bear for eternity." The tears fell faster, Kiba's eyes blurring into a mess of water and brown before they closed and he pressed his face into the juncture of my neck. My own tears lay un-falling in my eyes, making them burn with the heat of them; crushing the boy to my chest I buried my nose into his hair, letting a single tear fall.

"I'm glad you understand... most people are sickened when they find out." Came Kiba's muffled voice, his tears leaving a wet patch in the shoulder of my shirt, his hands clawed into the front fabric. I should show him my marks, the scars that sick bastard left on me, those marks that'll stay forever burned into me like the 'ai' branded into Gaara.

"That's cause I know what it's like..." I whispered so quietly Kiba pulled away to 'What?' me again, but I just shook my head and dropped his bag from the bed. In a display of strength I picked him up so his arms wrapped around my neck and his legs where around my waist, an easy carrying position so I could waltz around the side of the bed and drop the dog boy down into the layers of soft blanket. "Sleep well Kiba, I'll be here when you wake." I muttered nudging him over a little so I could get in the bed as well, only to have one of his warm arms thrown across my chest as he settled next to me, head resting just above my heart.

"Sleep well Kankuro..."

TBC...

**A/N:: Hello, oh it's been so long since I last updated. I apologise for that, enjoy a double update to keep you satisfied. **

**S.B.**


	15. Chapter 15

Sunday is the best day to sleep in, it's the only day Temari doesn't work or go shopping so there's no water wakeup at five in the morning. But oh no, this Sunday was different, instead of the shower waking me it was the suffocation I received from the dog boy as he woke me up at six. He was already dressed in an Australian flag t-shirt and black skinny jeans, his hair a complete disarray as it flopped around his face and into his eyes, black converse hugged his feet.

"It's too early Kiba, come back to bed and wake up at a better _later_ time." I groaned throwing an arm dramatically over my eyes to block out the light.

"No you don't Kanky, I wake up at four every morning to go for a run. I've done that and now you're getting up to get dressed." Groaning I smothered my head with a pillow, maybe that would stop the dog. But no, he's a morning person and bloody unstoppable. The bed groaned at the addition of weight on one side, and then something freezing cold was pressed to the sides of my neck. With an un-manly yelp (that I refuse to admit I'd made) I shot up, eyes snapping open in sheer horror to stare straight into smug looking brown, Kiba's freezing hands still lightly pressing around my neck.

"Not nice Kiba." I growled threateningly as I leant forward, lips barely touching the boys neck before he shivered at the warm breath I dragged across the jugular hidden beneath the skin there. Giving the sensitive area a small nip as payback I pushed the dog off and grabbed a pair of faded jeans and a heavy leather jacket, stepping into the bathroom to wash the sleep from my eyes and throw the clothes on.

After a few minutes I returned to the bedroom, grabbed the still dazed dog and headed down to the kitchen; making a quick breakfast that we got through in barely a minute before sticking my wallet in my back pocket and heading out to the car so we could get 'shopping' over and done with. No one else was up at this insane hour so there was no need to announce our departure; besides, when she awoke, Tem wouldn't give a dam, I could legally drive so she considered me old enough to do what I had to and take care of myself.

Konoha has only one shopping centre, mall type thing, it was located at the other end of town to the school and towards the outskirts backing onto a forest sanctuary. I'd only been there once, the first day we'd arrived in town, to buy - of all things - a toaster, and even then I hadn't gone any further than the car-park, so for me this was a whole new experience. But as we drove into the parking lot Kiba seemed to become restless, like something was here that he didn't want to run into.

"What's the matter babe?" I asked as we pulled into a space, cutting the engine so the dog couldn't hide his mumbled response beneath it.

"Sakura, Ino and Tenten are here." He muttered, looking out the window like the air outside was full of man eating fish. Stepping out with a shake of my head, I walked round and opened Kiba's door for him, practically pulling the dog boy out of the car.

"It'll be alright mutt, what are they going to do to us that's so devastating you can't even get out of a car by yourself?" He gave me this sort of 'you'll-regret-coming-soon-enough' look as I dragged him across the near empty car-park and up the escalator to the first floor, where I almost turn tail and ran. The entire floor was !PINK! not the baby pale pink, but a bright, blinding, hot pink that covered every available surface. I must've had the biggest scaredy-cat look on my face because Kiba forgot about his own issues and just laughed at me, dragging me out of the entry way to the kids toys section and away from the barbie stuff - I will never return here after today... never.

Oh~ couches!

Pulling the dog away from his destined path I made a detour around a pile of pillows and flopped onto a two seater, black, leather number.

"What do you think? Would it go with my room if I put some purple pillows with it?" I asked innocently enough, Kiba rolled his eyes at me and gave my shin a good kick.

"Since when did clothes shopping involve looking at couches?" Even though he said this he joined me on the opposite side, poking the leather. "Besides its not even real leather." Snorting at him I checked the price, and then backed away from the chair slowly. "What?"

"Sweetheart, honey, get off the couch... Now!" I stated staring at him with pleading eyes, slowly he rose from the chair and walked over to give me his 'what?' look. "Kiba, the couch cost $4500... and it wasn't even real leather." I growled, watching as he just shook his head at me, grabbing my hand he dragged me onwards and outwards, away from the couches and televisions towards the clothes section. There where hundreds of girls walking round giggling in this section, it was like someone had left bird seed out or something and now flocks of them where just forcing their way in.

"Shit we shouldn't've come in today." Kiba muttered dropping his head so no one would notice the rather obvious red triangles associated with the dog.

"Why not?"

"End of season clearance sale, god I should've remembered something this big." Ignoring the fact I had no idea what one of those was, I peered around the shopping women and spotted our destination, the mens section. Taking his hand we headed towards the saving light of the almost deserted zone, only to be stopped by someone with long blonde hair that covered all their facial features and smelt of sugar - sickly, sweet and not something you want to breath in too long.

"What a surprise the gay boy's come shopping, and who's this? Hell~o tall, dark and handsome." I wish I'd put my face-paint on this morning, as well as my cat jacket and not this extra padded leather thing that made me look completely different to who I really was. If you'd known me long enough you could tell, but because I was new to the area, and almost never seen without something three sizes too big, many people had never seen me without my face paint or jacket, and could not associate this '_attire_' with me. "Sakura, Tenten, I think I found someone you would really _enjoy_." The blonde - I just realised was Ino - called out gaining the attention of her pink and brunette haired friends.

"Oh you sure are a tall drink of water. Where'd someone like _you_ find someone like him?" Sakura asked Kiba, draping her arms around me like I was a coat rack - she didn't even give him time to answer. "Why don't you come with us sugar and we'll show you a real good time?" I had to with-hold the urge to punch her, but hey maybe I could get her back for making such a big deal out of making out with my Kiba - oh~ now I'm possessive of him, nice.

"I could happily show you what a good time was doll..." I stated making it obvious my eyes where checking out what she had to offer - absolutely bloody nothing - I was fighting between the urge to puke and the urge to punch her in her 'pretty' little face. "There's just one problem."

"What?!"

"You aren't my type." I stated nonchalantly moving closer to Kiba slightly, so he wouldn't catch on to what I was about to do.

"What the fuck do you mean not your type!?" She growled, stalking forward, those ugly green eyes a flame. "I'm everyones type!"

"Obviously not _everyones... _Now you see I prefer my partners to have brown hair, a little less in the chest department, and a nice firm ass... Don't believe me, let me show you an excellent example." That's when I swooped in, one hand to the small of the back the other tangled in brown hair, my lips crashed into Kiba's and my tongue darted into his mouth, tasting, mapping, loving the way he tentatively kissed back - unsure whether this was real or just in his head (I know that's what I was thinking - and I'm the one doing it). His nails dug into the fabric covering my chest as he pressed closer to me, head tilted back to allow me better access as I freely roamed his mouth like I'd wanted to do so many times. It was only a few seconds, not even a full minute, before I pulled back watching Kiba's dazed eyes open and a blush dust his cheeks, he didn't seem to mind what'd just happened, that or he was still lost somewhere in his head and would beat the shit out of me when he came to, so I turned my attention back to Sakura - who was gawking at me liked I'd done something offensive, it _was_ only a kiss.

"You-you-you-" I rolled my eyes at her inability to form a coherent sentence.

"I-I-I just kissed my boyfriend now either get out of our way or I'll make you move. _Sugar_." I growled letting the words drip from my voice like sickly sweet honey. "Oh and one more thing... If you ever pester my dog about sleeping with you again, you'll never sleep with another guy for the rest of eternity. Got it whore?" Sakura nodded her head like a bobble head on a bumpy road as we strolled past her group, my arm still wrapped around Kiba's waist. Walking into the casual clothes I let Kiba take a few steps further, before he rounded on me, hands tangled in his hair.

"What the hell Kankuro?" He hissed, while I couldn't help but smirk in satisfaction at the flustered state I'd once again gotten my dog into. "You- why did you do that?"

"I just wanted to make it clear to that bitch that you where taken and not to be messed with... Plus my Kiba you didn't seem to mind it." I growled, pulling him against me again, watching as he unconsciously licked his lips, eyes glazing over slightly. Chuckling I planted a light kiss to his nose and leant back, flicking through the plain coloured shirts closest to me, plucking out some coloured ones - mainly purple, green, blue and black.

"Did you just say I was yours?" Oops, cover blown, retreat into better shirts, retreat! Moving quickly I grabbed a few more random dark shirts, then scampered off into the pants section - not exactly where I wanted to head to but it'd do for now.

"Nothing of the sort." I replied, as he moved in closer and my escape options became far more limited. They seriously need to instal an eject button in shopping centres, not only for these situations but for men who'd just offended their woman - it would be an incredible good investment.

"Kankuro you just said 'my Kiba', by definition that's a sign you own me. Or think I belong to you." Kiba stated again, while I shifted uncomfortably in front of the baggy jeans. "Never-mind... let's get out of this section you need a change in wardrobe not more of the same thing." He sighed, dragging my hand away from my preferred clothing options towards something tighter, more constricting - my whimper couldn't be suppressed - 'fashionable' ones (by most designers standards today anyway), oh please if there was a God let him spare me from the constriction so that my blood would still flow down to my feet and I could run without splitting the seams of the pants.

"Kiba I like my wardrobe, why do we need to change it?" I whined as a pile of dark patterned shirts where thrown into my arms, shortly followed by some tight pants and several fitted jackets.

"Simple, your wardrobe does nothing for you. I mean baggy clothes are great for school because Sakura would devour you whole otherwise, but I want to see some variation in your clothing choices when I'm round. We'll need to get you some new shoes too." Spinning the dog round I pointed straight between his eyes, watching as they crossed over, snarling dangerously I leant in closer.

"No one touches the shoes! Got that mutt?"

"Alright, I guess altering your fashion sense is good enough. At least you won't look so pudgy." Snarling again I tried to not harm the mutt for his comment about my size, instead I bit into the upper ridge of his ear and gave it a gentle tug.

TBC...

**A/N:: If anyone doesn't like the Sakura bashing they can complain to someone else, so ha. I dedicate one of these updates to Mili (fanfic guest) who reminded me I'd had some finished chapters in this. If I ever forget to update or you just want the next chapter remind me, because I've probably finished it I just haven't posted it. Love you all.**

**S.B.**


	16. Chapter 16

For some reason I was surprised at the fact no one else had picked up on the fact the dog boy was gay, he had an excellent sense of fashion and knew the name of all the designer brands as well as that he could tell which article of clothing was counterfeit or the real deal. To me it just all looked the same... But perhaps that was pairing a stereotype with men that wasn't really true, although Kiba could spend six hours shopping without getting bored and I could barely spend one. By the end of the whole ordeal I was **happy** to see the pink toy section again.

"That wasn't so bad Kankuro." I growled at the dog as I rest my head against the steering wheel, a hand stroking through my hair, nails nicking at the skin as the dog scratched behind my ears. I whimpered again leaning towards the passenger seat enjoying the attention from my dog. "Kanky, you're purring." The dog muttered into my ear, fingers tugging my hair slightly.

"U-hu," I muttered shifting so I could curl up on his lap, before yelping, snapping into a sitting position. "What the hell did you just do?" I cried grabbing the side of my neck, rubbing at the spot where the dog had... licked. Did he just lick me?

"Oh is that a sensitive spot Kanky?" He growled leaning forward again, tongue darting out to swipe at the underside of my chin; my head rolling back to allow him more access to the underside of my neck.

"Yes, yes, please Kiba~." I groaned as he nipped at the skin, those pointed dog like canines scratching against the flesh. My hands tangled in his hair as Kiba travelled further down lapping, nipping, marking the exposed flesh, slowly opening the collar of my jacket to reach the flesh covered by fabric. "Enough!" I growled slapping his hands away and sitting up on my side of the car, rubbing the still tender flesh of my neck I started the car up and pulled out of the lot. He couldn't see them, the barely visible ones on my face and neck I can deal with, the rest... no the dog wouldn't be seeing my scars.

"Sorry, I don't know what came over me." He muttered a finger running across his lips, my eyes watching the movement with great interest. This was getting too much, this tension was just impossible, I wanted him so badly and obviously he wanted me, but I couldn't have; we both couldn't have, it was just not allowed. So why, even after chanting that to myself so many times over, did I still want him?

"I think we both just need to get home, shower and then finish whatever we need to do for school tomorrow." Kiba hummed in agreement, relaxing back into the chair, I could feel his eyes on me as I drove us both home. We'd both need really long cold showers soon, or something might happen.

"Kankuro! Kiba! Dinner! Where have you been all day?!" Temari called as we entered the house, I felt like a pack horse under the weight of the bags Kiba'd laden me up with; who knew shopping could be so heavy.

"We where just getting Kankuro a new wardrobe." Kiba muttered, his eyes not focused on Tem but half lidded and watching my every move. Tonight was going to be a long night, perhaps Temari wouldn't notice those looks, that small predatory smile - hopefully she wouldn't notice me returning them with twice the intensity. WaH! or that grope Kiba just gave my backside, cheeky dog.

"Excellent he's always in need of a new dress sense."

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" I whined, dropping to sit at my seat, head banging against the table in defeat.

"Because you do need one." The dog stated sitting beside me, his leg entwining with mine under the table. The dog was getting a little bit more bold, cocky little bitch he's going to have to learn his place, and soon or he might get a little bit more than what he bargained for.

Three sharp raps rang through the house, dinner was almost done and I was so close to jumping the dog, he could be such a little tease, dropping the fork for the pie and dashing forward to answer it before the frantic knocking damaged the door.

"Yes, can I-"

"Is Kiba here!? He said he'd be here!" An older girl burst through the door, two large dogs following her through, the red triangles flashed in the hall light alerting me to the fact this must've been Kiba's older sister. "Kiba! There you are!"

"Oh hey sis, what's wrong?"

"Mum's worried, I'm taking you home now." There was a clattering of cutlery on plate, the scrape as chair flew across the floor and shattered into the wall, there was a scuffling of feet and dog paws across the wood of the floor. Holding the door open I watched Kiba get dragged backwards from my property, about to head back inside when I spun back and cried after his diminishing figure.

"I'll bring your stuff to school tomorrow! Stay out of trouble mutt!"

"You're the one who always gets me in trouble!" He countered, I couldn't help but smirk and wave him off, trying to hide the slight pang of disappointment as he vanished into the consuming darkness. Sighing heavily I snapped the door closed and slid the lock into place, trotting up the stairs heading back to my room to shower and sleep. A funny feeling gnawing at the inside of my chest, as I flopped onto the bed, smelling fresh after the warm shower; letting my mind drift I tried to ignore the tight feeling as it swelled, my mind flashing with images of Kiba. Rolling to the side I felt the emptiness of the bed beside me, praying my dog was safe at his home I let a restless sleep claim me.


	17. Chapter 17

The week started with both me dragging my bedding to the floor, and smashing my alarm clock to smithereens; I missed having Kiba's warmth beside me this early in the morning, I missed the mutt, at least I get to see him this morning for double maths - I pray that Mr. Iruka would be 'incapacitated' with Mr. Kakashi again.

"Morning Gaara!" I chirp, stepping out beside my brother as we make our way to the kitchen, a smile like one of Solana's or Moonshadow's plastered on our faces.

"School must be good here, otherwise you too would look a lot less satisfied." Temari inputs, presenting bacon and eggs as our breakfast option.

'_If only she knew._' I chuckle, chewing thoughtfully on my piece of bacon, loving at the 180 my life seems to have taken - but now is not the time to talk about my past. Sliding from the chair and dumping the empty dish in the sink I grab Gaara by the back of his coat in one hand, my school bag in the other, and walk calmly out to my car. Driving down I couldn't help but keep smirking, as we got closer to school.

"Aw, look who came to great you Kanky." Gaara giggled - he'd never admit it but he did - pointing to the school gate, a tiny white blob bouncing up and down before dashing off and then back again. Coming in closer I grinned at Akamaru as he leapt towards the car and then back to the safety of the sidewalk, it was humorous to see the dog was so excited to see me driving in. Pulling the car to stop at the curb I rolled the window down, chuckling as the dog backed up - running in a tight circle - before leaping through the open window and into the car, landing safely on my lap.

"Hello boy, did you miss us?" I asked ruffling his ears, Akamaru giving me a lovely lick up the nose as answer. Swinging the car into its usual spot I grabbed my stuff and placed the dog on my shoulder; where he stood like some freaky identity confused parrot. Walking into the school grounds an uneasy feeling washed over me, turning to Gaara I sent him a look I thought I'd never have to use at this school - 'get-out-of-here'. He just shook his head, stepping quickly forward so he was beside me.

"Not this time brother." He whispered, eyes scanning the surrounding area. "I'm always the one to run, and you always suffer... We promised that this year would be different, this school would be different even if the same thing started happening... Now we fight together, never alone." Grinning like an idiot I clasped his hand in mine, before striding towards our group; their faces looking hollow and edgy.

"You feel it too?" Solana asked, glancing around the courtyard; everyone seemed to be looking for the threat that wasn't evident - even Akamaru as he jumped down to stand on the wood of the table.

"Yeah, we feel it. Felt it when we walked in through the gates, and we know that killing intent well." I growled, our voices kept low, eyes constantly moving - searching for the threat. The yard was quiet, very quiet; which was strange because usually on a Monday morning the jocks where being loud and obnoxious about having to be back at school and doing work other than sport... But today there was nothing, and that was frightening, the silence overwhelmed my senses and that was what me and Gaara had felt so many times before, that silence that always leads to something bad.

"Ah~h!" The scream shattered the silence, such a pained howl from the depths of the school, it made a cold chill soak its way down my spine.

"Kiba." It was so well known, the tone of the voice, the resonance of the cry, the same cry I'd made so many times over, so many times I thought I was the one making it then. Running faster than my legs could carry me I headed towards the room that shocked fear into us all - the cafeteria. A crowd surrounded the doors, crashing against them, trying to break them down - they where the jocks, eyes frightened and wide.

"What's going on!?" Gaara cried as the others ran up to the mass, I was scanning the door, searching for any weaknesses - but, like the interior of the cafeteria, it was sterile and void of any sort of damage.

"Kiba's dad has got Kiba in there! He was talking to us about something... He never got to finish, it involved some guy and there was... Well it doesn't matter now. The bastard just walked up to him and the next thing we know he's dragging him kicking and screaming off. We gave chase, but that bastard is fast. They went in here." Naruto blathered, eyes blurring over with worry.

"Shit!" I snarled, thumping a fist against the wall. "God damn it all!" Throwing a few more choice swear words at the unresponsive concrete wall.

"Kankuro, calm down before you do something stupid."

"Oh I'm about to." I snarled, sprinting off, leaving a trail of dust behind me; I was going to do something stupid, really, REALLY stupid, I was going to break in there and save my dog - my brothers cry of my name the only sound fast enough to chase after me.

TBC...


	18. Chapter 18

Running around the back I jumped the fence, and shuffled through the overgrown bushes, glad my baggy jeans protected my legs from the thorns that guarded the stems of the unkept plants. Crashing out of them I leapt the table that got in my way, and threw myself into the glass doors, again and again, and again, watching the shiver run through the weak material. One final throw and I was through, glass stabbing into my skin and causing drops of blood to trickle down onto the eternally clean floor.

"Dad please." Came a whine, and then a sickening thud, holding back a snarl I leapt to action, following the sound to the back room. A trail of red leading me through the sea of white, my stomach twisting and churning, he was in trouble - my precious, the one I'd promised to protect, was bleeding.

Bursting through the back doors to the kitchen I walked in on a scene that I'd experienced only once before, and never intended to do so again. Kiba lay tied to the corners of the counter, his shirt torn open and blood dripping down the length of the cupboards, knives where scattered across the floor nearby, each one stained with a tint of red. Kiba didn't look well, his face was pale, and eyes glowing red, tear streaks running down those soft cheeks that I just wanted to cradle now.

"You're sick, you know that boy! How dare you think that a male of your level amongst our clan has the right to fall for another male." The dad snarled, fingering another dangerously clean knife. My first impression of this man was, WHAT THE HELL!? He looked nothing like any of his children, his hair was a vicious blonde, eyes a dusky blue that seemed mouldy in the artificial light, failed stubble covered his chin and scars of fights and battles covered all available surfaces of his broad tanned body.

"Back away from him!" I growled, all rational thought flying out the window - I'd been through this, I'd lived this terrible nightmare, my dog wasn't about to, not when I could stop it, not when someone could actually do something to save him. Blue snapped up to look at me, the point of the knife hanging precariously above Kiba's chest.

"Oh~ho~ho! You must be his other, the filth he's associated himself with." The dad snarled, fangs similar to Kiba's flashing in the light. "Well then, perhaps you should go first!" And with a cry he lunged forward, the blade swiping downwards, nicking the cover of my arm and barely reaching the skin - the sting of the metal so familiar and so unwelcome.

My fist launched out, clipping the larger man just under his chin, so easy it was child's play - he didn't fall like my dad had, he was heavier, broader, he fell with a heavy thud and lay there dazed for a moment - my father had fallen gracefully with a small 'ohf' upon hitting the ground, before he'd just flipped up into a standing position, ready to deal his own attack.

This man just lay there, staring dazedly up into the light above him, but I wasn't paying attention adrenaline was surging through me, memories I thought I'd strangled into the darkness that was never ending oblivion where making a return, flooding me with uncontrolled hate; kicks, scratches and punches where thrown at the man beneath me - I was almost out of control, if anyone saw this they'd think killer. But they didn't know. No one knew.

"Kankuro!" I calmed at the sound of my dogs voice, the blood still dripping down my knuckles from where I'd punched the man lying unconscious before me, his split lip still leaking blood and a purpling bruise forming on his jaw. Shaking the left over memories from my mind I rushed to Kiba's side. Hands instantly scrabbling at the bonds holding him down, my inner-self celebrating at the fact nothing _too_ bad had happened to him, that he was okay, well, alive at least - alive was a very good thing.

"Are you alright?" at that he laughed, it was hoarse and a 'little bit' harsh.

"The bastard tried to kill me. Was about to to if you hadn't come in when you did."

"I'm sorry I didn't get here earlier, the door had been locked." He smiled at this, eyes shining brightly like they where meant to, his old self returning slowly. A hand weaved it's way into my hair as I scooped him to my chest, holding him bridal style, a sharp intake of breath his only reaction to the movement. "I'm so sorry."

I didn't let him reply, just walked calmly out of the kitchen towards the shuddering cafeteria door. Raising a leg I kicked it through, bolts snapping at the joint as nails gave out, the door swung back uselessly on its ruined hinges - the school could afford to replace them. Teachers -most likely drawn out by the shouts of the students- and my friends, plus the acquaintances I had made through the jocks, stood staring as I walked out - the dog clinging lightly to the front of my shirt, dark bangs hiding my eyes from sight.

"Oh God, Kankuro let us take him. We'll get him to the nurses office." Sasori offered staring down at the still bleeding dog.

"No!" I snarled, jaw clamping, "I'll take him! No-one's fucking touching him!" Everyone backed off then, I wasn't someone you wanted to mess with when I was in this sort of mood. Gaara trailed behind me, eyes darker than the blackest of blacks, he knew. He always knew, he was the only one who knew.

"Kankuro... I know you remember what happened. Is this what you wanted for you too? Did you want to be saved?" Gaara asked softly, I remained silent, Kiba's blood wetting the shirt closest to my skin. Maybe... Maybe when I was younger I wanted someone to save me, but then, time passed, the wounds healed over and my hatred towards my father smouldered into just an inkling of an irritation. I forgot and suppressed the thoughts after ages of running them again and again through my mind. With all that I realised no one could've saved me, and I really didn't want them to - the experience made me stronger, I was better off in the long run. At least I though so and that was all which mattered, that I thought I was stronger, was better.

"No one could've saved me. He doesn't deserve the same shit I suffered through... No one could've saved me. At least he had a chance."

"Kanky... You mean you're dad did this to you?" I swore under my breath at the soft question from the dog, I thought he was asleep - his breathing had evened out and he was so quiet.

"Yeah, he did the same thing to me... Except... worse." I muttered, staring down into the liquid brown that was Kiba's eyes - they begged me to open up to him, tell him what happened - he was lucky it was a long walk to the nurse. "Our dad was a military man, straight cut, stiff lipped, not afraid to beat the shit out of you if you screwed up. When Gaara and I realised our sexual preference dad hadn't been happy to say the least, neither had the school kids... And we ARE NOT going there." Kiba shut his mouth, his eyes betraying his query. "Dad thought he could beat it out of us. And I'd stuck up for Gaara like a brother should've, except he stopped hitting him. Last thing he did to Gaara was carve that bloody symbol in his forehead with a piece of hot iron. I'd punched him back for that, which had drawn **_all_** his attention away from him and onto me. Sixteenth birthday he'd tied me down and... well... decided to tear me into pieces. No one saved me... No one knew until I'd limped home bloody and torn. Funny thing is he died the same day in a horrible car accident - karma sure is a bitch." I couldn't go on from that, I just couldn't tell him the rest, the memories hurt enough - to actually say it out loud would mean admitting it had actually happened, and I just couldn't do that. It was safer, less painful, as a memory, if it became real... I don't think I could keep going.

"I'm sorry." I blinked past the watery vail that had been moving over my eyes, staring down at the boy in my arms in shock.

"What!" I squeaked, voice breaking in the middle of it.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry no one saved you. If I'd known... I swear I would've tried." Kiba whispered, curling into my arms, a grimace flashing across his face as the muscles pulled under the wounds - that always hurt like a bitch.

"Don't be mutt, it wasn't your fault... Now let's get you to the nurse before you bleed out." We laughed and joked the rest of the way, poking fun at one of the most serious situations that could happen to anyone - but it took the pain away, that broken feeling left when you could just laugh it off.

TBC...


	19. Chapter 19

The nurse didn't say anything about Kiba's bloody state, he just started cutting what was left of his shirt off him and cleaning the wounds. He'd given me this look that said I should leave, but I'd just growled at him and sat the dog firmly down on my lap on the crisp clean bed - Kiba seemed happy about that. Gaara had stayed, watching me, he knew I was having a memory moment, but he didn't say anything - just sat silently watching to make sure nothing bad happened to the dog or me.

"You going ta tell me what happened?" The nurse asked, as he gently bandaged up the gashes. His soft brown eye flashing from behind the orange mask he was wearing - his name was Tobi.

"No." Was my instant answer, no one was going to know - not unless I wanted them to.

"Alright, do _you_ want to tell me what happened?" He asked, turning to Kiba - he just flushed a bright red and hid his eyes behind the long brown bangs I was gently petting into place.

"Not really..." He whispered, "Can we get this over and done with I want to get out of here." The nurse just pouted (at least I think it was a pout, his face pulled downwards and the muscles above his eye creased), and began slowly wrapping the bandages once more - he was barely doing it right, and it took all my will power not to just kick him out of the room and fix the bindings myself, but I held my peace, Kiba needed attention of a trained medic and I needed to be there as a support pillar.

"You alright?" I whispered gently stroking the crook of his elbow.

"Yeah, nothing a few days rest won't fix. Can you take the rest of today and tomorrow off, I don't want to be at home on my own. My sister will be extremely over protective and controlling, she won't let me do anything. If you're there I won't feel so claustrophobic or smothered." I laughed, chuckling, as I nuzzled my way into the back of his head, loving the softness of his hair on my cheek, the scent that was so Kiba drifting up from the brown locks.

"You got yourself a deal, but I'm taking care of you. Properly Kiba, if that means kicking your family out of your house so be it." I was being an overprotective bastard, and we both knew it, but it just made Kiba smile - I was glad he was so happy, I was happy my dog was happy.

"There all done, you can leave now. But I suggest you go home immediately and rest." The nurse instructed, pinning the bandage down and handing him an exemption slip. "Take your boyfriend with you, he obviously wouldn't agree to you going home alone." He joked, eyes betraying the grin plastering itself across his face as we left the sick bay. I withheld the urge to say he wasn't my boyfriend, but after everything that had just happened it was more likely than not that we where now a couple.

"Come on, let's get you home." I muttered, picking the dog up in one arm and fishing in my pocket for the car keys - which seemed to be playing a game of hide and seek. "Gaara make sure to bring any homework back for us and see to it that police get their hands on that bastard."

"Sure, don't worry about a thing... But I think the jocks have already fixed his face a few times over after you took him down, so I'll need an excuse for that."

"Child molester." I added nonchalantly, walking off down the hall - it was an easy suggestion, and police where easily lead to believe things like that, especially if one young student was injured by the man. Hopefully he would be kept locked up for a long time, a very, very long time. Gaara nodded and walked off, almost skipping at my revelation over the destructive force that my father was - he always wanted me to open up about what happened then, but every time I thought about it it just made my heart hurt and the scars on my back throb with phantom pain.

"Good lie."

"It's not a lie... He just didn't go as far as that. I wouldn't let him." Kiba grinned manically at that, hugging me tightly as he lay happily in my arms. "Now, enough about terrible memories, I'll take you home, cook you something warm and then run you a bath."

"Bath?"

"Yeah, they help. It relaxes the muscles and you won't feel so sticky or surgically stuck together." I muttered, finally pulling the keys from my pocket and handing them to the dog. He smiled softly, hand catching my shoulder for support he leant up and gently pressed a kiss to my jaw - he couldn't reach any further.

"Thank you." Was all he said as explanation, curling up so he could rest. I kept walking, the feel of his soft lips against my skin all the encouragement I could ever need to keep going. My car sat in the park, a white blob laying beside it, I smiled as the dog perked up upon seeing me coming - his owner safely dozing in my arms.

"Hey boy, sorry I couldn't do more to save him." I whispered, unlocking the car and sliding his owner into the backseat, trying not to disturb the bandages too much; Akamaru just yipped softly before jumping in beside his master, curling up under his arm. Shrugging out of my jacket I lay it across his bare chest, watching the peaceful rise and fall of the cavity as he breathed - alive and safe.

Carefully I started the car, pulling out of the school yard and down the road, heading to the dogs house - he would be safe there, besides his family would want to know what happened, and it was better for him to be in a familiar location, not my bedroom - even if I thought he'd be safer there than anywhere else. The streets around me felt so empty during school time, no one was out and it was too early for the lunch workers to be setting up in the park near the school. I'd turned the radio off to let the dog sleep, so the only sound in the car was the purr of the engine and the steady inhale and exhale of our syncopated breathing.

TBC...


	20. Chapter 20

Kiba's house looked the same as it had before, flat, grassy and dirty; Akamaru stirred, sitting up so his tiny head could peer out the window at the two dogs leaping around the yard so freely. Snapping off my seatbelt I slid out of the car and threw the door wide, watching as the fluff ball leapt out and scampered across the street, clearing the low fence with ease. Chuckling softly I bent down and scooped Kiba, jacket and all into my arms, kicking the door closed with a solid thunk I strolled across the street. Unlatching the gate was a small battle, as it had to be held up as you pushed in, not to mention having to verse the massive forms of the other dogs as they tried to climb up me to sniff Kiba. After what seemed like hours I finally made it to the front door, everything accounted for and Kiba still in one piece.

"Kiba, come on mate, wake up." I muttered shaking him gently, brown orbs slowly sliding open to stare at me like I wasn't all there. "Front door mate, can't actually get in your house if you don't open it for me." Something seemed to click in his mind and the gears of thought began to slowly work.

"Back pocket, pants... I think..." I groaned and shifted so he had his legs curled around my waist, the position was rather...intimate. We'd been in the same position before, but that was _before_, now there was deep emotion behind it. Reaching round him I slid a hand into one pocket and the next, finding that they where a **lot** deeper than they appeared. Fingers brushing against the cold metal of the keys, finally, snatching them up and pulling them out. The position had to've been one of the more awkward we'd been in. "Well done, you one a prize." Kiba chuckled, while I attempted to get the key in the lock.

"Yeah, I get an injured dog and a front door key... actually not that bad a deal really." Kiba flashed a toothy grin when I said that, cuddling closer as the door swung open and I shuffled in.

To say the least the hallway was bland, the walls where a creamy white - close to ivory - and the floor was a pale wood, there wasn't much in the way of furniture but tonnes of happy snaps covered the walls, Kiba, his sister, and mom (well I assumed she was his mom) grinned down at me from the walls, all at different stages of growth, the dogs sitting next to them in the same situation. Continuing down the hall was an archway leading to a lounge room with a soft looking rug, and huge dark leather couches, a 52" flat screen sitting on one wall, cushions where scattered across the floor and the coffee table at the side, magazines joining them - all open at various stages of reading. Sporting equipment lay haphazardly on the floor to one side, double glass doors lead out to a small veranda out the back, which lead onto a sparse lawn and a small pond. "Where's the bathroom?"

"Past the kitchen, nearest to my room." The dog growled, his head resting on my shoulder as he started to drift off, again. The kitchen and dining room where directly across from the lounge, they where large and made from fine oak timber, with highlights of greens, blues and reds. A door at the back of the kitchen lead me through to a short hallway painted black, on one side was a black door and the other was another black door that was open to a very dark red and black bathroom.

"Didn't know you where into such dark colours." I muttered admiring the near invisible furnishings, highlights of gold, red, and silver the only hints to the location of the sink, bath, shower and toilet.

"Yeah, it's all recently done. Your near black and purple bathroom inspired me... The bedroom stayed the same though. I didn't have the heart to change it... or clean up." Kiba whispered as I placed him down on the counter, crouching down to untie his shoes.

"Good to hear I'm tainting you with my emo-ness." He chuckled lightly as I gently removed his shoes, placing them carefully on the ground beside the counter, socks joining them moments later. Standing up from my crouch I gazed at the bandages that had begun to stain with blood. "I don't think I should remove them." I muttered, gently running the pad of a finger across the reddened wrappings.

"You'll have to change them when I get out anyway, besides I'd rather not have them on in the bath... I'd just feel, yeah..."

"Don't worry." I whispered grabbing onto the end and gently twirling the bandages off. "I know what you mean." He hung his head at that, an expression of regret passing across his face.

"Sorry I didn't want you to remember that." I chuckled, watching as the last of his bandages fell to the floor, revealing the scratches across his chest and sides - they ran horizontally, almost like claw marks. They didn't seem too deep, but they did cut through some of his capillaries close to his main organs (heart) so that was probably why they'd bled so much earlier. Now though they just looked red and painful, a small amount of inflammation so there wasn't going to be any infection which was good. The marks would defiantly heal faster than mine had, he'd be right as rain by the end of the week.

"Don't worry, the memories suck, so do the scars. But you eventually get over them, trust me." I whispered pressing a gentle kiss to his nose, sliding him off the counter to stand shakily on the tiles, before heading to the door. "Now enjoy your bath, I'll see what I can do for you in the way of food and then we can either sleep or do whatever the hell you want to." About to say something I shushed him with a finger to my lips before closing the door and heading back down the dark hallway.

The kitchen had a massive Whirlpool fridge near the door, a clean almost brand new induction cooktop and two spacious LG stoves. There was tonnes of countertop bench space, all topped with a pale marble with oak timber doors, everything matched and had a homey feel - including the floor to ceiling walk-in pantry to the side. So I headed to the fridge first and rummaged around for anything that would taste better than... dog-food. A WHOLE shelf of DOG-FOOD stared at me, making me blink in confusion, the Pedigree golden retriever staring back at me happily.

Slightly creeped out, I turned my attention to the shelf down one, where rotting lettuce, tomatoes, capsicum and some really wilted, sad vegetables looked out at me - obviously no one had told them about the great invention of the vegetable crisper (it does what it says, keeps the veggies crisp - at least longer than when placed straight in the fridge). Resigning to the fact that most of the food in the fridge was... to be polite I'm going to say sad looking, but in truth I wondered if they EVER cleaned out that thing (probably not considering the state of that cabbage growing itself a face).

Sticking to what I knew best I grabbed the freshest looking half of the ham leg and the least wilted looking lettuce and made a simple sandwich on some whole-meal bread - not my greatest culinary challenge, but it would feed the dog for a little while. Balancing the two sandwiches on a plate I grabbed a firm looking peach before wandering back down the black hallway and into the room across from the bathroom.

Kiba lay on the bed wearing some overly baggy soft grey pants, the cuts on his sides exposed to the air so they could breath and heal over - they'd probably scar, but it would be thin slits nothing too major or ugly. Sitting down gently on the side of the bed I handed him the plate and the fruit, grabbing myself one half of a sandwich before turning back to take in his room as he devoured the food with hungry enthusiasm.

It was a soft grey, posters of old bands like U2, the Verve, Barbarian, Noiseworks, R.E.M. and UB40 as well as hundreds of others littered one wall, acting as a feature to the room (it was the wall the black door was in). A cupboard hung open down the opposite end, clothes of all colours spilling out and laying discarded on the floor near a pile of dog pillows and red bean bags. Widows dressed with deep blue, denim curtains where on the wall opposite the door, under that was a massive sound system connected to a tiny little windows powered laptop, the screensaver showed images of Kiba a little younger with all his friends from school, everyone was smiling and happy and.. wearing appropriate clothing in the case of Sakura and Ino. The bed we where sitting on was at least a king mattress on top of a base, the sheets where a deep green, sporadically covered with brown, red and blue (think army camouflage but not that strict... fun (?) army camouflage), matching pillows where at the head board, and a pile of single shade brown, red, blue and green pillows lay scattered across the floor, along with some clothes, a few odd shoes and a few belts. Magazines and books took up most of the space at the edges of the bed, closest to the wall, as well as some CD cases for bands that I loved but thought most people'd never heard before, and DVD's that focused on horror and comedy - including some classics such as Phantom of the Opera and Dracula. Pretty much I loved the room, all it needed was a space invaders or Pacman game and I would be happy to stay in there for the rest of my life.

"It's a mess isn't it... I would've cleaned up at least a little if I'd known something like this was going to happen." Kiba muttered staring round the room in shame, I laughed and gently drew him into a hug.

"I love the room, it is completely and utterly you, Kiba. Swear if I could just stick a black leather couch at the end of your bed and maybe a flat screen somewhere I'd never need to leave, it is completely perfect - just like you." I stated, going mushy and sentimental as the dog wrapped himself around me and hummed contently.

"So does that mean you'll be sharing my punishment of confinement with me this fine day and tomorrow?" I thought about it for all but two seconds before swooping in and tackling the dog to the bed, being careful of the still fresh wounds as we tumbled across the covers and onto the floor in a pile of human and blanket.

"Do I have a choice?"

"Of course you-" Interrupting the mutt was simple, especially when you're the one straddling his waist, just lean down and kiss him until his brain shuts down and he gets that glassy look in his eyes that says 'I'm-off-with-the-fairies-be-back-soon-all-message s-will-be-deleted-after-a-three-day-period'.

"I ask again, do I have a choice?"

"Like hell you do, no way are you leaving this room now. You abused the right to encourage intimate activities, so you loose your right to make choices without my permission." He snapped, tugging me back down to nip my lip as punishment for my actions.

"Good, that wasn't quite the answer I was hoping for, but it'll do for now." I husked, moving off him so I didn't cause any damage to the already injured body.

"Yeah, yeah, that's what you say. But you where going to stay anyway." Kiba stated, so very sure of himself, as he rolled onto his side to stare at me, propping his head up with an elbow.

"Of course I was, stupid dog, there is no way in the seven dimensions I'd leave you right now. Not even if someone offered me a Ferrari FF, or a Porsche Carrera gt. You are more important then those cars - even if I'd sell my soul for them."

"You really like fast cars."

"No, just the classics because I don't care how fast they go, they are like sex on wheels. These cars basically scream 'I'm hot and single, call me, but I'm too cool to call you back the next day'. These aren't cars, they are masterpieces of engineering innovation." Just thinking about the shiny metal gleaming in the sun as I sped down a highway made my mouth water.

"So you'd rather these cars over me." Kiba asked sounding wounded, I jumped at the thought, grabbing onto his arm and sat up so that we where sitting facing each other.

"Kiba watch my eyes as I say this... If someone offered me **one** night with you for my Ferrari F430 I would give it up in a heart beat. Because you are worth a hell of a lot more than some piece of metal, you are stunning, witty and one of the God-damn sexiest people I know. I would sell my soul to the devil if that meant I could be with you, even if just for a few minutes. Don't get me wrong those cars are amazing machines, but you..." His soft lips against my own was enough to shut me up.

"I get the point Kanky you can shut up now..." Kiba mumbled a blush darker than I'd never seen on him covering his cheeks.

"It's true though." I muttered under my breath, mixing the words together so he didn't understand them. Smiling brilliantly I grabbed his arm and hauled us both up to our feet. "Now come on I think I saw some really awesome horror movies under your bed, and I don't think you're quite ready for sleep yet and there is no way in hell I'm doing homework."

"O~o have you seen Scream... I mean it's sort of humour and horror but I love it." I shook my head, positive if I'd seen something like that I would've remember (especially the name). Kiba just grinned wickedly and scooped up a black DVD box, waltzing over to the light switch and flicking them off just as a massive plasma lowered down from the ceiling - my mouth falling open as it slid into place just a few metres above the ground, levelling out so that you could lay on the bed and watch TV at the perfect angle. "Now we just need that leather couch and you'd never leave the room." Kiba joked, crawling across the bed and grabbing a remote from under the pillows. Settling back we both watched the movie in peace, Kiba settling against my chest as I leant against the wall behind us.

TBC...


	21. Chapter 21

Apparently Kiba loved scary movies... a lot... after Scream I and II **and** III we did Saw I. I'm never, EVER answering the phone when I'm alone again. This always happened when I watched horror, but in about an hour after the movies I'd be right as rain again. Just as it was reaching a climax-

'BANG'

"Holy shit!"

"AHHHHHHH!"

"Oh my GOD!" We both shrieked jumping about 3 feet into the air before tumbling off the bed, the scream of the girl being attacked rung throughout the room. It was completely unmanly to say the least.

"Afternoon Kiba, what's up?" The girl who'd 'rescued' Kiba from my house a few days prior stated, looking completely relaxed as she leant against the door frame - completely unaware of how close we both where to having a heart attack.

"Hana! The hell, are you trying to kill us!? You scared the shit out of me!" Kiba hollered as he struggled to untangle himself from the blanket, pillows, shirts and myself; Hana just laughed at our futile struggles to separate ourselves from our imprisonment.

"You look ridiculous you know that right?"

"Yeah thanks, now stop standing there and come help us out." Kiba muttered darkly, as I continued to remove the pillows and shirts still trapping him. Easier if I just didn't say anything at this point and just helped him out of the mess he'd got himself into.

"Nah, don't think I will... So you must be one of Kiba's sporting friends." She stated turning to me, I cracked into laughter at that, causing Hana to jump out of her skin and take a few steps back with a look that I'd gotten so many times already. That, 'oh-wow-another-psychopathic-friend-better-call-th e-insane-asylum.' Same thing every-time, after the first one you just laugh at the look and attempt to grin innocently at them (never works but they don't call the asylum).

"Seriously, you think I'm one of those knuckle headed idiots? Please! I'm Kankuro Sabaku, Kiba's biology partner and _outside_ of sports friend." I stated still chuckling at the thought of me being one of his sporting friends.

"Really!? So that means you'd have to be part of Solana's and Moonshadow's group of boys then? Wow, Kiba's never brought one of you round before. I'm surprised the girls even let you near him. Kiba has been... mean, to them before. Not on purpose of course, he was lead astray by his other friends and a really mean guy called Sai. The bastard used to have the hots so bad for Kiba, always touching him, trying to get him to go on a date with him. Turned out he was switching between him and Naruto. Good thing he left school the year before last otherwise I'm sure Kiba would've smashed that guys face in. Oh, he's not usually violent but Sai had been getting on his nerves for ages, so it was expected. I hope he's being attempting to make amends with you guys... Wait you're the boy I picked Kiba up from earlier." Finally it seemed to be sinking in as we sat staring at her through her ramblings. "Wait a minute you're THAT Kankuro, the one that Kiba says is eighteen turning nineteen, with his own car. The one he wants to-"

"Alright, time for you to leave. Thank you for telling him EVERYTHING!" Kiba gushed pushing his sister out the door, as I just sat blinking up at him from the floor. He leant against the closed door with a heart wrenching sigh. "God, somedays she just gets going and doesn't shut up. So embarrassing..."

"The one you want to what? Kiba?" I asked, sauntering over to him, intrigued to the point of curiosity killing the cat.

"N-n-nothing, just something silly. It's fine. It's nothing." Kiba gushed, face burning red as he avoided making eye contact with me.

"Come on puppy, you can tell me anything." I breathed into his ear, watching as he shivered, nibbling on the ridge gently.

"Just that I wanted, to maybe, if you wanted to, perhaps during the holidays, I wanted to date you."

"That doesn't work in the sentence she was setting up little one. Come on, I'm curious now, tell me."

"The one I wanted to fuck me." I started laughing softly, enjoying how my previous assumption was correct.

"Good boy, see now, telling me isn't so hard. Good attempt though, I knew you'd say that." Kiba went red and his brows furrowed, it was the cutest look of infuriation I'd ever seen.

"WAIT! You knew and you made me say it out loud!"

"Pretty much..." I snickered, Kiba snarled and tackled me to the floor. The play fighting never really hurt and me and Gaara did it all the time, but the dog was injured and I didn't want to aggravate the wounds. A trickle of blood ran down his side as we struggled making me freeze and pin him to the floor by his wrists as I stopped him from opening any of the other ones.

"Bastard!" He growled wiggling to get free, as I just tightened my hold on him so he couldn't move at all. "Let me go!"

"No! You're going to open your wounds, you've already done it to one, I don't need to watch you start bleeding again." He stilled fully and glanced down at the cut closest to his shoulder on the left side - the one dripping a sloping red line of blood.

"Damn... sorry. I'll be careful, promise. No more wrestling." I smiled softly and kissed his nose gently, leaning down and licking up the trail of blood. The copper taste something I didn't really mind as I cleaned up the cut and added a slight pressure to help stem the flow.

"Now... no more ruff and tumble, tonight you are delicate and fragile. So behave yourself." I muttered standing up to pull the dog back onto the bed.

"Aren't you staying?" He asked, calming down once more.

"Course I am, you can't get rid of me. But I'm going to need to pop home to grab some things and make sure everything's good on their end."

"Yeah, of course. I'll go help Hana with dinner and explain things to her while you do that." Smiling softly I brushed a kiss across his forehead and walked out of the house to the car. Hana waved me off from where she was feeding the dogs in the front yard.

TBC...


	22. Chapter 22

It took less time than expected to stop off home and grab a few essentials, as well as pop in on Tem in the kitchen to explain that I'd be out tonight and off school tomorrow because of emotional injury. She was used to it, I'd done the same thing after dad's car crash. Teachers didn't care they just didn't want to have to worry about an emotionally unstable teenager hanging themselves in the classroom. Yeah the teachers at my old school where total bitches, hated all the students and didn't give a damn if we got a good education or not - as long as they got payed. Sasori would probably call by tomorrow afternoon to check on us, he was just like that, he'd probably drag Deidara along with him - just so the blonde wouldn't ask him mundane questions when he finally got home afterwards.

The night was cool and we spent most of it watching horror movies in-between snoozing. Kiba's wounds healed steadily as I watched over them.

His mum didn't come home the night before because she worked for the police force and often had to work those graveyard shifts to make sure there was enough cash to support the family and hungry animals.

Hana was also working to become a police woman in training, both where in the dog division, which explained why there where such large mean looking dogs around the house.

Kiba didn't want to go into the force, apparently Moonshadow and Solana where training him in the skills of independent business ownership and he wanted to open a pet store near the Rose Hollow. Nothing too big and fancy, just enough to make sure he got enough customers to live off and maybe a little bit more for those nice things he wanted, that everyone always wanted. He'd already found a place he was thinking of buying, but he was seriously short in the cash department as his old work - the bakery down the road - had suffered some serious financial troubles and had to be closed down. What he needed was a job, and sooner rather than later if he wanted to get this shop if it was placed as perfectly as he says it is.

Tuesday went by in a flash, and in the afternoon I returned home saying the dog should take Wednesday off as well and then come back Thursday. He seemed to agree whole heartedly as he slunk back under the covers of his bed.

"See you then you silly dog." I whispered kissing the top of his head, the only thing sticking out of the blankets he'd cocooned himself in. I chuckled at how willing he was to remain in the warm patch I'd left behind after I'd spent the day sleeping there. Chuckling softly I left the room, slinging my bag over my shoulder and heading down the hall, Kiba's muffled farewell still on my mind - the dog was just so~o cute, and he didn't even know it. Hana managed to catch me at the front door, a heart warming smile bursting across her face.

"You know you mean a lot to him, especially when you do something like this." I blinked at her surprised.

"He needed someone here with him, I just thought I could... yeah." I mumbled the sentence kind of puttering out as I didn't know what to say. She just smiled brightly.

"Kiba never really opened up to us when dad started giving him shit. I'd moved out already so I thought he'd just come live with me. When he didn't I moved back home to make sure he'd be alright, but it didn't matter what I did, dad didn't care. He just kept focusing his attacks on Kiba. Mum was afraid that if she did anything he'd get hurt so we kept quite and so did Kiba. I thought he'd be destroyed for sure and we'd just have to keep watching, but then the station gets a call from your school saying dad's down there and he's being held captive by a bunch of pissed off teenagers. We race down there, attempting to get the teens to clear off but then this guy with red hair just steps forward and in this creepily calm voice says the man in the cafeteria was a child molester and had seriously injured a student. We go in arrest dad and he gets locked up, mum got given the long shift this week so I head home to find you and Kiba, and he's covered in gashes... We asked around to find out what happened and the same guy with red hair who'd told us about the whole child molester shit then comes forward and all creepily calm explains that Kiba had been abducted and tortured by his father. That _you_ broke into the cafeteria and beat the be-jesus out of the guy before rescuing Kiba and bringing him home." Hana gushed, as she continued to explain what had happened the day prior, I simple kept wondering where in the world she was headed with this tale. "Apparently you've been hanging out with Kiba a lot, making sure he ate right, and did all his work, protecting him. My mum and I appreciated what you've done, we haven't seen Kiba this happy and relaxed since he was thirteen. It's nice..." She finished smiling at me, before reaching over and squeezing the life from me. "But if you break my brother's heart I'm setting the dogs on you. So no underage drinking. No gambling. AND no intercourse until he's legal."

"Don't... worry didn't... plan on... doing any of... that..." I wheezed, as she finally put me down and oxygen was once again able to return to my lungs.

"Good to hear. See you again Kankuro." And with that she waved me out of their house and to my car. Once in the front seat I flopped back and felt across the bruises forming on my sides, boy could that girl hug hard. Shifting up I started the car and drove home, careful not to crash in the dark of the street - no moon shining tonight, just the softness of the stars.

Home is where the heart is (or where you can set yourself up with family and sleep through till nine in the morning without get berated by some ratty land lord for jack shit)... Well whoever said that was a bloody genius, I reached the house just before dinner (something bubbling in a pot - I didn't eat it but I'll sneak down later tonight and grab the leftover crab cake from the fridge). Crawling into the expanse of my bed Gaara joined me just after ten, a hollow look in his eyes as he clambered under the blankets and into my chest.

"Nightmares again?"

"You have no idea." He replied, already nodding off, clinging to me. Tem stayed up until shortly after three, and I knew we couldn't stay here, she needed her space - space she could use to find herself a better job than the mailroom clerk at some big business, and perhaps a boyfriend who could make her happy. That was my ultimate decision, I'd move out at the end of first term and find someplace big enough for me, Gaara and even Kiba if he stays the night, it would be close to school and Tem (for moral support), I'd get a job -wherever- and support us, take charge of what was happening in my life.

It was time to start thinking about my own family.

It was time to move on...


	23. Chapter 23

Wednesday was easy going and peaceful, the jocks had backed off from the whole pranking thing, so they sat with us at lunch - they worried over Kiba but Solana assured them he was stronger than he looked (she should know, she was his 'doctor').

Sakura was rather displeased with this turn of events, especially when Ino - her ever faithful minion - took the opportunity to get close to Choji, Hinata was happy to be sitting with her friends again (who provided her with a pair of jeans to replace the cheerleading skirt), Tenten was distracting Shino and Lee seemed to be (at least I think he was) flirting with Hinata (but a lot of it was talking about how YOUTHFUL! young love was) much to Neji's chagrin, even though he softened as Solana patted his back reassuringly.

Naruto was bugging Sasuke by 'not-touching' him, Moonshadow was distracting Gaara with tales of how she was positive Achilles was gay - never thought you could get a gay dog but she seemed adamant.

I missed Kiba a lot but this extension to our group was working well, and I could've guessed that some people had been waiting years to finally get this close to the people they wanted so much.

In biology Itachi reminded us that our research paper was due at the end of the term instead of week three, after some convincing from Kisame... The research paper I'd done absolutely nothing on (shit!).

Lunch was another amusing affair, with Sakura skipping school to do something involving curing man... but that could just be my male brain screwing with the word. Hinata was pleased and suggested we celebrate - which lead to us making use of the home economics room where I made a three story cake with all the toppings, as well as some wraps from Hinata, and a salad from Tenten we feasted, forgetting all our years of heartache between each other.

I practically skipped into art.

"You seem cheerful today Kankuro." Deidara chirped, the room filled with the scent of paint as the back wall was covered in a massive piece of paper, he was throwing balloons full of paint at. Sasori sitting safely behind the blonde bombshell.

"So Kiba's alright then? Nothing serious?" Sasori asked concerned, already having forgiven me for snapping at him a few days ago.

"Nope, he's all good, spent the day off recovering, so he'll be back tomorrow hopefully. But... hey Deidara mind if I give you a hand?" The blond brightened, passing over a bucket full of balloons and a painting smock, as I dumped my stuff near Sasori and shrugged out of my jacket. I grinned evilly at the more sane of the two teachers before pegging one of the balloons at the blonde instead of the wall. "It's so... AMAZING!... somehow... we've managed... to stop the bullying... and everyone's happy... together!" I cried, laughing as Dei picked up a bucket of iridescent purple and dumped it over my head, the cold paint sinking into my clothes and running down the leg of my pants (I was so~o glad I'd left my good converse at home and worn really old baggy clothes that didn't matter if they got dirty).

"Well done!" Sasori applauded, even though he gave us both a look that told us we where insufferable and mentally unstable, but he loved us anyway. "I'm proud of you, and I'm guessing covering my boyfriend in paint was a way in which you thought best to express these emotions of jubilation?"

"Yep! Because Deidara always says I need to use more colour in my work! Ahahaha! No~~! Stop! Ha ha ah!" I laughed, as the blonde toppled me to the ground and started tickling my sides, a grin that was slowly filling with paint spreading across his green and orange face, pieces of his blonde, red, blue and purple hair flying out as we tumbled around on the canvas, leaving trails of rainbow lines and mismatched splurges.

These guys should seriously think of kids, they'd be amazing parents.

"You two are childish." Sasori muttered as he grabbed a pot of pink and dumped it on the both of us.

"AHH! SASORI!"

"It's cold!"

"EWW! It's down my pants!" We hollered making the other laugh as we struggled to regain a vertical standing, splaying arms and legs sliding across the paint and around the canvas.

"See you Friday Kankuro, and _you_ are coming home with me so we can get you cleaned up." Sasori stated acting like the responsible adult he was meant to be - but I knew he was going home to screw the blonde (even if he was paint covered and sticky). Shouting my goodbyes I grabbed my stuff and headed out into the hallway, dried rainbow paint still clinging to me as I grabbed everything I needed to head home - I guessed I'd be walking today, no WAY was I getting in my precious car like this, it would totally ruin the upholstery.

Gaara just stared at me as I met him at the front gate.

"Art must be a battlefield for you to come back like this." He giggled, indicating to the rainbow still sprayed across my body. "You look like a unicorn puked on you... Where's the leprechaun with his pot of gold? Ha ha ha ah~. But seriously you'll have to be doing your washing tonight, Tem won't touch clothes that look like that. You know how she feels about paint." I cracked a grin, passing over my keys to him.

"Well consider yourself blessed that it _was_ a 'battlefield', you get to drive the car home. I'll meet you there. DON'T SCRATCH THE PAINT!" I hollered as he skipped to the car and slid in, the eye-roll he added at the end of my statement was evident, even if I couldn't see it from the edge of the school property line.

TBC.


	24. Chapter 24

The good news was that my car arrived home safely, as did I after Neji and Hinata gave me a lift in their run down looking Toyata Camry (those cars just never die) - Neji said he had better cars at home but he didn't want to endanger them by bringing them to school. We chatted about cars as Hinata just sighed at us, the trip was short and we agreed that we'd get together with Moonshadow and discuss cars at another point in time - seemed the girl had a real shine for them, much to Solana's hatred and confusion.

"Good to see you arrived home safely, Tem's gone out for the night so you're in charge." Gaara stated from the couch, he was playing Ninja Warz upside-down, eyes not leaving the game as I stalked into the kitchen to start cooking something edible for the two of us.

"You enjoy today?" I asked attempting to make small talk as I put mince in a pan and pasta in a pot.

"It was... different. A good kind of different, and I enjoyed watching everyone so at ease with each other." He mumbled shutting the game off and waltzing into the kitchen as well, only to lean against the counter beside me - not bothering to offer a hand, he knew I liked to have control when I was cooking; someone else's input could muck up the entirety of the dish.

"Yeah, the only one who don't share in our belief is Sakura. I'm surprised by her willingness to keep things as they where." I stated above the clatter of plates as I searched for bowls - I really needed to reorganise the kitchen, Tem was taking it to the dogs (and not to my favourite dogs either).

"For an obvious reason, before this she had power as lead cheerleader, now she barely has any, especially since the groups are merging. Eventually her status will be lost and she'll loose her power over everyone else." Gaara stated pulling the phycological mumbo-jumbo out of his ass - he was always good at that. "Is it really such a bad thing if that little bitch gets shunned a little, I mean HELLO! have you ever seen our group as happy as they where today? It's like all their christmas's and birthday's came at once bringing them exactly what they wanted."

"Yeah, yeah. Not only that but I think most of the guys have had their eyes on a few of their fellow classmates for a while now, but before they where just too afraid of getting turned down to act on it. Did you see the way Neji just melted under Solana's touch, and Lee with Hinata. Yes they could've gotten together before but at least now with a merged group he'll have Neji's blessing." Gaara sat thoughtful for a moment, before I handed him the spaghetti Bolognese.

"You're right, a lot of people have been waiting for this opportunity... Um, Kankuro how would you feel if I asked Moonshadow out?" I choked on the spaghetti I'd just been munching on, Gaara thinking this was a bad sign placing the food he'd been fiddling with on the counter and looking a little bit (alright seriously) depressed. "Sorry I asked."

"Are you serious? For the love of God! I thought you'd already asked her out!" It was Gaara's turn to splutter as I threw him into the air, spinning him round and round; a happy grin spread across my face as he just looked slightly horrified.

"What!?" He asked, getting an adorable confused face - none could rival the dogs though.

"I thought, with the way you two acted. That you'd already asked her." I stated calming down, as I placed him back on his feet - only now realising how short he really was, he was only about five foot seven-ish (if that) - which is about 170.18cm - that must mean that Moonshadow and Solana are really short! They just came up to under Gaara.

"No~ I wanted to get your blessing before I did something like that, it would seriously cut into our weekend game playing time." I just grinned as Gaara gave me a quizzical look.

"Seriously! Alright, alright. I, as your older brother, Kankuro, give you and Moonshadow my blessing to take the next step in your relationship and blah-dity, blah-dity, blah. You may now date and become officially boyfriend and girlfriend." I commanded, smirking at the eye-roll I got for my troubles. "But~ only if you agree to let me date Kiba."

"Now _you've_ got to be kidding **me**! You two already act like a pair of love sick teenagers when around each other. Why would you need my acceptance?" I shrugged as Gaara stared agape at me.

"Don't know, but if I have to give my blessing for Moonshadow, you need to give your's for Kiba." Gaara's head had a lovely meeting with the countertop, as he sighed at my idiocy and complete lack of his immense understanding of life and all that sort of stuff.

"Right, I give my acceptance of your desire to take Kiba as your boyfriend... Just don't do anything when Tem's home or we'll both be out on our asses." I cackled gleefully picking Gaara up and spinning him round again, much to his chagrin. "Now stop spinning me, it's really disconcerting."

"Whatever you say bro... Oh~ I need to talk to you about that." He raised his eyebrow as we wandered back into the living room, the 'new game' menu already open for us on Ninja Warz.

"That spinning me round is disconcerting?" He asked, making me bark with laughter and shake my head at him - sometimes he was incredibly smart, other times... not so much.

"I've been thinking a lot lately, and Tem's been really nice to take us under her wing and all. But I think we're starting to get to the point where she needs some space, to expand her options. If you catch my drift."

"Yeah she really does need a boyfriend." Not exactly what I was hinting at, but close enough.

"Yeah, so I was thinking of getting a job and buying an apartment close to school. Move us into that so Tem can have the house, and her space. What do you think?" I asked as I destroyed one of Gaara's minions.

"I think... that you actually had a good idea, for once." He cackled crazily as I attempted to bash him over the head with the controller, instead settling for blowing up one of his tower defences.

"Thank you for once again doubting my intelligence." I muttered sarcastically, adding in an eye roll and huff of irritation; watching with mirth as a few of his little men got squished under the rubble.

"Not my fault you're going after a boy three years younger than you -"

"He's two." I cut him off, as he blew up my little ninja's, leaving a smear of blood on the screen where they once stood.

"Oh~ so you going to fuck him or just be his _friend_?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at me, I should ask the same thing about him and Moon. Actually she'd probably bash his head in if he attempted something like that before she was married - she was just reminded me of someone who'd do that.

"You know I can't do anything to him... I might seriously hurt him and that would just be.. I couldn't live with myself if that happened. Plus~ I kind of promised his **police officer** sister that I wouldn't do anything until he was legal." I muttered watching with despair as Gaara's tiny little sand troops marched their way into my capital through a well disguised hole in my battlements. Damn him and his ability to spot my weaknesses, he was now one of the strongest clans playing this game and all I could do was watch as my little village of animated characters was swallowed by sand.

"Alright, but you know he'll want to eventually and you'll either have to tell him the truth about dad or some really elaborate lie that he can't trace because it's so complex and believable." Gaara stretched, as the screen pulled up the records book and plugged him in to the record holders list (we'd connected the thing to the internet a few weeks ago and currently Gaara was worming his way up to the top of the list, his avatar or whatever was called Shukaku and currently he sat at number 6 (only below Kyuubi, AvengingSpirit, InuYōkai, WhiteEyes and Mr. number 1 - TroublesomeGamer)). "And we all know how much you suck at lying."

"Yeah, yeah... Shit it's after ten, we'd better get you off to bed." I gawked, staring at the clock - this game sure as hell was addictive. Gaara pouted as I dragged him off the couch and up to his bedroom. "Night bro, I'll see you in about three hours when you end up in my bed from a nightmare."

"Oh shut up, you know you'd do the same thing!"

"Yeah, I would. And I really don't mind, after the first few times you kind of get used to the company." I muttered, walking off down the hall as Gaara gave me his best 'you-are-insufferable' look. But I knew he didn't always have a nightmare, we'd been sharing a bed since he was five, and after so long we'd both gotten accustomed to sharing and waking up with another human beside us - even though you couldn't really call Gaara human.

Sighing softly I stripped off and waltzed into the shower, nearly burning myself as I'd forgotten to put the cold on with the hot - my mind elsewhere at the time. It wasn't long until I was curled up in the safety of my bed, and as predicted - three hours later, Gaara crawled in beside me and fell asleep again.

Peace was present that night, and everything (for once) didn't seem like it was going to end in a horrible, bloody, disaster.

TBC...


	25. Chapter 25

Thursday was a really, really long day, starting with a bickering match between Hidan and Kakuzu, which ended with them making out on the desk - Kakuzu only instructed us to leave once Hidan was getting a little bit too explorative with his hands, really creepy watching two teachers do that. Kiba was back, which was a good thing, and the groups where all still kind of hanging out, well at least they where being polite to one another.

But there's one problem with Thursdays, a reason why I hate them so much and that is sport during the middle two lessons. Sport was always a bad lesson, I got to watch Gai-sensei force us to do lap after lap, build up a sweat that made us stink like a locker room. What was irksome was not only did I SERIOUSLY despise this kind of activity Kiba and all his jock brethren where pleased by the fact they where running, it was like someone had never showed them the greatness of staying inside with a complex, well written novel. By the end of it all I didn't give a crap and all I wanted was a shower, a nice long hot shower that could wash this off of me, sickening, disgusting, I just wanted to wash it all off. At least it was lunch now, cold turkey sandwiches on greek bread with alfalfa; the best of the best for a Thursday lunch.

Walking calmly down the hallway, heading back to the lunch table, I paused when a noise made me think. It sounded like someone... trotting? Oh, now they where sprinting. Turning just in time I glimpsed a flash of Kiba's triangles before he slammed into me, arms grasping wherever they could, as his nose moved all over me. Trying not to trip I allowed him to start walking us backwards, trusting that whatever drug he'd taken would still allow his common sense to work and he wouldn't trip over and we'd both end up on the floor.

"What the fuck are you doing dog breath?" I grunted as Kiba pushed me roughly into the boys bathroom, all I got in reply was a desperate whimper as the smaller boy started pushing up against me - backing us both into a cramped cubicle. "Hey! Hey!" I cried as he pinned me to the side wall, his body fitting perfectly over mine with his legs on either side, his panting was getting louder and more desperate, as if he was starved of something and was trying incredibly hard to get it. "Kiba." I said softly doubting the boy really could hear me over his own heavy breaths, but as I spoke his name he froze against me; knee pressed to the wall, legs clasped on either side of my hips and arms resting just above my shoulders - which was pretty impressive considering how much taller I was than him - his face tucked snuggling under my chin, nose pressed deeply into the side of my throat.

"I... Kankuro... I... Oh God, I'm so sorry." He gushed stepping back against the other wall, his entire face flushed making his red triangles vanish into his cheeks; I cocked my head to one side and gently stepped forward, keeping a respectful distance from the trembling boy. It was a bad idea to startle him too much when he was already in such a shaken state.

"Hey, what was that all about puppy?" I asked, not really sounding angry - just confused, he blushed as he became increasingly interested in the floor - don't know what was down there but it must've been worth the look.

"I'm not a slut, swear." He stated voice breaking slightly as I watched him critically, "But..." he turned away from me and drew meaningless patterns onto the cubicle door.

"But?"

"You're right to call me a dog." He stated as if that would help me to understand his answer - it seriously didn't. "I act like one sometimes - it's just instinct." He insisted turning to face me again, "So yeah, I sometimes pick up on a scent..."

"Like when you where in the park and you somehow managed to find a Curio stand in the middle of a walking track." I stated, trying to get my head around what this had to do with his sudden predator like behaviour. Seriously it was more confusing than the time Tem made hamburgers that where meant to be cupcakes - definitely a What the Hell! moment.

"Exactly, and well... I was walking down the corridor and I picked up on a scent, so like usual I followed it but... The stronger it got the more - more - aroused I became... Then there you where, and I just... just couldn't hold back. Kankuro, you're scent is fucking amazing." He practically moaned on the last part, eyes fluttering closed as he rolled his head back against the wall; any idiot would have to admit it was a sensuous sight to see the dog boy breathing so heavily against the wall, all flushed and flustered - best of all, I'd done this to him with just my scent. But I wasn't such a sick bastard as to take advantage of the kid, no instead I pulled him into a gentle hug - guiding that sensitive nose of his back to the exposed skin of my neck. Loving the way his breath hitched as he picked up the smell and how he almost melted as he was drawn closer.

"Is this what you wanted?" I asked softly, stroking his hair as he pushed closer wrapping his arms around me.

"Yes." He sighed, moving himself into a more comfortable position. His nose grazing across my neck as he travelled up my throat and along my jaw, butterfly kisses getting pressed here and there as he tasted the skin. "We can't stay here forever, and I don't... won't... can't give up this scent." He practically moaned clinging tighter as if his words weren't enough to convince me. Glancing at my watch I pondered silently this little dilemma he'd proposed to me.

"We have to go back to class Kiba." I shivered slightly as he groaned at the mere mention of leaving the embrace, he curled tighter against my black jacket trying to get his entire body pressed against the scent he so desperately craved. "But because you seem to be addicted, I've got something that can keep you sated for the last two lessons." Reluctantly he released me, blinking big puppy eyes up at me, an adorable confused expression plastered across his face.

"How?" Sighing at how naive he was I pushed him completely away from me, ignoring the distraught whimper as I did so, and tugged the zipper down of my black jumper, shrugging easily out of the hoodie and throwing it to him. He almost didn't catch it as he stared at me.

"What, have I sprouted wings dog boy?" I chided, but he just shook his head mouth dropping open; I let him step forward again as he pressed a hand to the middle of my chest. His heavy gulp didn't go unnoticed as he pressed harder against me, mouth finally snapping shut, his eyes raising to meet mine. "What?"

"You're body... It's fucking toned dude, you're a fucking jock under all that padding." He stated, his gaze hungry as it scanned over my torso; glancing down I couldn't deny that I wasn't fit, the tight white long sleeved t-shirt I'd thrown on under the jacket accented each valley my muscles created. But I wasn't a jock, I was just... just well muscled. I suddenly felt over exposed and wanted desperately to put the jacket back on and hide myself again; but Kiba definitely needed it WAY more than I did right then, especially if he was addicted to my scent (like my brain was telling me he was). It would be really embarrassing to have him suddenly burst into my english class...wait he's in my english class - you get the point... any sort of clinging to me like he had done only moments ago, would just be really weird and would ruin the little jocks reputation... Although so would shoving another boy into the guys bathroom all predator like, but he did that one to himself.

"Meh, not really. Hey, no more staring dude, we've got class, so look after my jacket. Kay? I want it back this afternoon." He nodded furiously as I exited the cubicle, his eyes following my every movement like laser beams. "See you Kiba boy." I stated escaping from the bathroom and back out into the hallway where everyone was crowding heading down to the English room, ignoring the questioning glance I got from Gaara preferring to walk smoothly down the corridor as everyone stopped to stare. Didn't know what was so good they all had to stare but let them look, as long as I got left to my little world and not bombarded by girls I was cool with it.

TBC...

**A/N:: That wasn't how that was meant to go, well it was but then I kind of... Yeah teasers. I'll eventually get to the point I'll write it, but just now it wasn't quite right.**


	26. Chapter 26

Alright so maybe praying that girl bombardment wouldn't happen was a long shot, especially with Sakura still on the prowl looking to notch that bedpost. It took all but, umm... five minutes, after I'd walked into english for her to throw herself rather ungracefully onto my desk with, what she described as anyway, a flirtatious smile and wink; it took all my willpower to suppress my shudder of disgust.

"Hey, Kitty." She all but purred (HEY~ only Kiba and my friends could call me that, she should learn some damn respect), big pea green eyes staring down at me with hunger, eyelashes that MUST be fake fluttering strangely over them. What the hell!? did she think she could just bat an eyelash and all straight men would fall to her feet? Ha! there's an operative word in that sentence and that's STRAIGHT!

'_Resist urge to puke! Resist urge to puke! Must act straight! Must act straight! Mustn't think of Kiba! Mustn't think of Kiba... Mmmhh Kiba!_' Woops, there went my mantra, oh well he supplied me with the daydream material anyway, why shouldn't I use it to suppress all oncoming illnesses because of this pink haired weirdo. What was really horrible was the fact that she even thought I'd ever be interested in HER! I thought she'd at least piece together that I was the 'tall drink of water' she'd met at the mall the week before; seriously it wasn't that hard, even Tenten and Ino had realised and apologised for their actions by now.

"It's Kankuro, Sakura, and would you kindly get off! You're tainting my desk." I sighed, watching with mirth as I swept her from her sitting position to the floor. Where she sat rather indignantly with her legs spread, while she spluttered up at me, face turning a furious shade of red - sighing I turned to the front of the class, her flustered state wasn't nearly as cute as Kiba's, he would squeak if he was embarrassed enough - so KAWAII! Oh god I was going fanboy over my unobtainable crush... alright maybe he wasn't that unobtainable, I just didn't have the heart to take the 'correct' first step... yet.

Speaking of the dog boy, there he was at the front of the classroom reading the rather poorly scrawled excuse of Mr. Kakashi for as to why he wouldn't be teaching us today... I do believe it was the excuse of the week. It read, and I quote::

**_Sorry Class, can't make it. _**

**_Need to replace lightbulb in Janitors closet. _**

**_Iruka-sensei will be helping me so no sub today._**

**_Enjoy freedom. _**

**_Kakashi!_**

Yep, best excuse this week - oh how I enjoyed having that perverted jerk as my teacher, I've never enjoyed English this much before. Grabbing my books I rose gracefully from my usual spot at the black desk, stepped over Sakura - who was doing an awesome goldfish expression now - and draped myself over a desk at the back, beside the rest of my friends. Basically telling Gaara to ask away, because he had that questioning look on his face again which said eventually he'd find out the answer to everything one way or another - like he always did.

"Bro... Where's your jacket?"

"I gave it to the coat man, thought I'd try walking around like this for a little while. I advise against it by the way, small pink fish might think they can take a bite at you." I joked, watching Gaara give me his best 'Don't-fuck-with-me' look, suddenly something soft and fabric-ey was thrown into my face; sitting up properly I looked down at my jacket, then up at Kiba - who was dumping my legs off their seat.

"I'm not a coat man Kitty, and because Kakashi isn't here I can enjoy your company." He smirked, Akamaru leaping onto the desk to watch the entire group with brown puppy eyes (not nearly as cute as Kiba's... wait I think I've stated that already).

"You can't be serious." I gaffed, eye roll directed at his statement, in a display of petulance I flicked my hair behind my ear.

"About what?"

"You can't enjoy my company from all the way over there." I growled hands grabbing his waist and dragging him to sit on my lap. "Besides, it's much better here anyway." Ah, satisfaction, there was that embarrassed blush I loved so much, it was WAY cuter than Sakura's.

"You're so mean to me." He muttered, contradicting his statement by leaning back so his head was against my shoulder, chuckling I placed my chin on his shoulder, a small smile spreading across my face.

"Not my fault you get flustered easily. It's just so cute." Aw~w I'm embarrassing him more, his blush had darkened and started absorbing his little red triangles, just so cute, this is what I lived for, my reason for getting up in the morning, I was the dog's source of embarrassment for the day - and they said mothers where bad, they'd never met perverted, older boyfriends. Practically purring I nuzzled his cheek affectionately, loving the small dog-like whine I got in reply, fingers softly stroking the side of my face along the length of my jaw. An excited squeak distracting me from my affectionate display, turning my attention away from the boy lounging across me I gave Moonshadow a raised eye-brow look, something like 'If-you're-about-to-release-you're-inner-fangirl-g o-outside-and-don't-make-a-mess'. She just struck me down with a beaming grin, that could've almost been predatory but just screamed retarded joyfulness. "What?"

"You two are just so ka- make such an adorable couple." Raising the eye-brow further at her accidental slip into fangirl-ism with the forgotten line of 'are-just-so-kawaii'.

"I thought they where an odd couple." Muttered Gaara, getting my raised eye-brow of doom, good God it's eventually going to travel into my hair line at this rate... or fall off. "What? I'm just saying, one of you is so dog like it's not funny and the other is pretty cat like. Dogs and cats usually hate each other, that's all I'm saying."

"Not always Gaara, Achilles and Wolfgang love cats. We actually have two cats at home, a black mix we picked up from the pound and a Russian blue, and they sleep together every other night. The cats love playing with the dogs, even now when their fully grown cats and not kittens." Moonshadow added Solana nodding after every few words, as if her emphasis was needed to give the point more truth; and truly it was such a ludicrous idea that, yes, emphasis was indeed needed.

"Akamaru loves sleeping with cats. There's a tabby in our street that he just seems to always end up sleeping with, if he's not inside of course." Kiba added to the conversation, why where we even trying to prove that cats and dogs could get along? Oh that's right because apparently I was a cat and Kiba was a dog, and our 'relationship' was 'odd'.

"I agree sometimes cats and dogs get along really well. There's a drawing on one of Moonshadow's desks, of a cat entwined with a dog. It looked cute, not odd." I muttered trying to support my 'boy'-friend and get an upper hand on my brother at the same time. A disgruntled huff came from Gaara as he settled back, sea foam eyes becoming lasers and their focus - the front of the classroom, eventually he'd burn a hole through the wall and we'd have an excellently placed distraction window. Satisfied I'd won that little tif I leant further back in the chair so Kiba could lay at a more comfortable angle, the boys eyes had already fluttered closed and his breathing was evening out as he slipped into a half reality. Stroking his hair affectionately, I lay back in the chair further and sighed heavily, half-lidded eyes gazing out the window.

TBC...


	27. Chapter 27

The afternoon sky glowing a pinkish red, furrowing my brows I tried to remember how the stupid rhyme went that told of rain.

"Red sky in the morning, sailors warning. Red sky in the evening, something about no rain or whatever." I muttered, but I don't think that was right, which just made the frown crease further on my face.

"It's red sky in the morning, sailors warning. Red sky at night, sailors delight. Which basically means that it won't rain and it'll be a nice day." Solana corrected, before silencing herself and settling back into her chair, giving Moon a look as she started gnawing on the end of a pencil. The silent bubble that surrounded us was peaceful, calming, strangely comfortable considering Moon was still chewing the pencil like a dog did a bone.

"If I could have a moment of your attention?"

'Snap'

"Ack, gah, gross." Moonshadow spat, the shattered pencil falling to the table as she wiped the scraps of paint and wood chips from her tongue. And I don't think she was just talking about the pencil taste.

"What do you want Sakura?" Solana groaned, hand slapping against Moon's back to dislodge a stick of pencil the girl seemed to've inhaled with the arrival of our greatest enemy.

"Look my parents are going out for the weekend from Friday, and because it's my birthday, March 28th. I thought it'd be a good time to throw a party."

"Graphite tastes funky." Moon murmured swiping the back of her hand with her tongue, ignoring everything Sakura was currently stating.

"Don't eat graphite! - Now why are you telling **us** this?" Shino yawned, rolling an annoyed eye towards the hovering pink haired freak, after scolding Moon for the accidental inhalation of pencil filling.

"Because it's been requested by many of the others that I invite you lot. That and Kiba refuses to come unless Kankuro's with him, and obviously if I invited him the rest of you would need to come. So on Friday come to my house, bring your swim stuff and a change of clothes, and any alcohol you can smuggle in." At that I stilled, these underage kids where not doing alcohol if I had any say in it, but I wouldn't say anything - let them have their fun for one night, don't be a party pooper, let them enjoy themselves... Well some of them, this group was certainly **not** drinking, Sakura I didn't give a rats ass about - if we where lucky she might even get alcohol poisoning.

"Fine we'll be there, but don't expect any 'gifts' from us." Gaara growled giving her a look that screamed 'I-hate-every-living-organ-in-your-body-and-I'll-r ip-every-one-out-of-you-if-you-screw-with-us.' Sometimes my brother was more of a possessive bastard than I was, and that is sort of understandable - my brother, although an awesome person, caring, compassionate, an animal lover (and no~ I mean the fluffy kind like dogs and birds not the other thought some people have when I say that out loud), full of humour, struggles to make friends that he can really keep. It's because of how he dresses, and acts, not to mention at our old school everyone knew that we where both bi - but only that I had a preference for men, they didn't really ever find out much about Gaara, just me. Gah! thinking about the past is NOT a good thing, go back to the dog happily snoozing in your lap.

"Fine, whatever! Just show up around six, and stay out of my way. There's a hot tub in a secluded area of the yard, I'll be there with the booze, drop it off if you bring any." She snarled, flipping her hair out of the way, and stalking back to the front to mutter to Ino about something or other - even though the other girl didn't seem as into it as she usually was, she was making a face like someone had just given her Brussels sprouts (not pleasant).

"Snappy little bitch isn't she?" Sasuke murmured, eyes glaring holes in the desk, our group nodded in total agreement. Sakura was such a whiny little bitch, either complaining about something or someone, and the greatest thing she whines about is the deadly disease that is unstylish humans - and males that stick up for themselves and think she's a bitchy little tart of a whore, oh we're so horrible because we don't like her for her lack of looks, and even less brain-cells; it's such a calamity.

"I'm sorry, I got you into this." Kiba muttered, shifting from his position to stare our friends in the eyes, his brown showing a deep sorrow and apology; sort of like when you yell at a dog because they've done something wrong (yeah, that hurt puppy look that makes people melt into puddles of guilty feeling goo - thank the gods I've got more self control and I melted into a pile of guilty looking human mush (see I didn't change my species just my physical characteristics) - right I'm not much better than them am I?).

"It's alright pup, it'll all be alright." I whisper nuzzling his cheek, he sighed softly curling fingers in my hair and snuggling back into his previous position.

"Don't worry about it Kiba, we'd all have to go anyway." Solana muttered, eyes darker than the night sky as they joined Gaara's in glaring an escape route through the blackboard - to freedom! Kiba gave her an apologetic smile, while I just shot her a questioning glance. "Sakura would've expected gifts as 'queen' of the school, even if we weren't invited it's imperative that we deliver our _praises_ for her coming of age."

"Wait! Coming of age? How old is she turning, because when you say it like that she sounds as if she's turning-"

"Sixteen." Moonshadow cut in, a snarl following the word, as well as a chunk of pencil wood that she flicked from between her teeth.

"She's sixteen- scratch that TURNING sixteen and wants us to provide her with alcohol?!" I squeaked, aghast at the very thought of promoting underage drinking. More importantly how the hell was she only turning sixteen, most people in the school where seventeen plus, even then though that was still classified as underage drinking - the lot needed to be at least eighteen before they started consuming alcohol. An attack of hyperventilation coming on at the mere thought, Kiba rolled his eyes before poking me hard in the chest; glancing down at him he glared back at me.

"Kanky, calm down and breath properly... You're tickling my ears. We won't drop off any alcohol okay. Then whatever she drinks won't be on your mind it'll be someone else's fault."

"But I'm the only legal adult there, I have a responsibility to -" Kiba pushed himself up and kissed me hard, distracting my brain from the previous train of thought.

"Kankuro, don't worry about it."

"Okay." I whispered, brain shutting down due to lack of oxygen. Moonshadow laughed incredibly hard at that, falling from the chair and to the floor. "What!~" I whined as she struggled to stand back up and intake oxygen at the same time.

"Oh~ Oh, man Kankuro, Kiba's got you wrapped around his little finger. I bet if he asked you to jump you'd jump." She stated still giggling, tears welling up in her eyes - I've never seen someone laugh that hard before. And if he asked me to I would jump, just not with him on my lap because that wasn't safe and it was way to comfortable to disturb him.

"Yeah, yeah, and you've got Gaara wrapped around yours. It's just something that always seems to happen to the males of the relationship." Gaara's head made a lovely 'thunk' as he decided to forcefully rest it against the desk top - Ha! he hadn't asked her out yet and that statement went straight to strangulate his male ego.

"The sad thing is, it's true." He muttered, sending Moonshadow a small smile as she huffed indignantly, calming down relatively quickly from the hysterics she was in earlier - this girl was fucking bipolar.

"So anyone know where she actually lives?" I asked, as the group settled down again. Several head shakes and a snore (Shikamaru was asleep **again**!) confirmed my suspicion that no one here actually did, and Sakura had been rather void with that information.

"OH! OH! I do, I do!" Cheered Lee, bounding over with Hinata in tow, Naruto skipping over to sit on the edge of Sasuke's desk - a grin a thousand times scarier than anything Solana or Moonshadow could pull off plastered over his face. The others, walking with a greater level of calmness, sitting down with the rest of us.

"So are you guys going to come? It wouldn't be a party if you didn't!" Naruto hollered, eyes shining at the mere mention of any form of celebratory act.

"Yeah we're coming, now calm down Dobe." Sasuke muttered pulling the hyperactive young man off his desk and into the chair beside his own, hand lingering a little longer than normal on his shoulder. "We don't have much choice in the matter this year... Oh wait~ we've _never_ had a choice when it came to that irritation."

"Oh come on Sasuke don't be such a pessimist, we've always had a choice when it came to that pink **thing**. You remember that YEAR she spent trying to get me to sleep with her, I always said no - still do. You have the same choice, just say no." Naruto stated (I couldn't believe he actually used a big word, he must be so proud), sending Sasuke a subliminal message through his massive blue eyes - 'I-said-no-because-I-really-wanted-you'. And the guy still hadn't taken the blonde! Maybe it was a similar thing to that of what happened with me and Kiba, really clear signals that you just thought you where making because the other person wasn't picking up on them.

"So... she actually hasn't slept with every jock on campus then?" I asked, looking around as everyone just started laughing at my question.

"No one would sleep with her, the only person to ever was Sai and that bastard left ages back."

"Aw~ come on, now I have to remove whore from my describing list." Everyone laughed at that, even Kiba, as I just pouted glaring softly at the window. Before I was _convinced_ by Kiba to return to my normal smile as he nibbled softly at my protruding bottom lip. Which led to a brief kiss before the dog settled back again, his resting place softly getting fixed up before he relaxed out.

"You and Kiba seem rather cozy, you didn't drug him did you?"

"Oh my God! Seriously! Why does everyone think I drugged him?" I exclaimed, exasperated that once again one of my friends thought I was drugging the poor dog - first Gaara and now Choji. Was it really that hard to believe that he was just comfortable in my presence!?

"Because he's way to relaxed not to be! Kiba's got issues with men, like serious issues! Especially after what Sai did. So it's just amazing to see him so relaxed with another male is all."

"What did that bastard do to him anyway? I mean he's even afraid of doctors and they're meant to help you get over shit like this." Kiba's past now becoming a focal point for the discussion - I'd probably get berated for this later, but I was curious now.

"If you want to call anyone a whore Kitty, call that touchy bastard one. Seriously it wasn't just Kiba he was going after, it was **everyone**! And this guy didn't take no for an answer. You'd be in the shower after training and he'd just casually step in behind you and start massaging your back or washing your hair. He was one twisted little fuck." Naruto blathered, Choji, Lee and Kiba all supporting what he was saying with their own minor input - like how he stroked their hair, or held their hands, played with their fingers or invaded their personal space to a point beyond discomfort and tonnes of other shit like that.

"Right! If that little twerp ever comes near you, **any of you**, again. I will personally rip him a new one." I growled, arms encircling Kiba to protect him from a threat that I had no idea about. Suddenly there was a loud cry and I was dog piled by all the jocks in the vicinity, the breath crushed from my lungs as they... hugged me (? - further data will need to be obtained before this can become a solid statement).

"Such a youthful statement, Kiba you have a keeper here!" Lee exclaimed from his place sitting on my legs, stopping me from kicking them off my back.

"Aw~ he's so sweet, I could just eat him all up." Choji stated excitedly bouncing slightly from where he sat on my butt - crushing my hips into splinters.

"I just want to take him home and pamper him like a proper pus-cat." Naruto cried bouncing on his place in the middle of my back, crushing the edge of my ribs into the floor.

"My Kitty's such a brave little man." Kiba purred from his perch on my shoulders, legs on either side of my chest, his knees tucked under my arms. The combined weight as well as the positions they'd each taken up made it near impossible for me to move without causing some sort of internal damage.

"Will no-one help me!" I whined as Kiba petted down my hair, the boys crushing me into the floor, the two chairs I'd been sharing with my Kiba where thrown in opposite directions across the floor. The rest of the group just laughed at my complaints as my organs where turned into pancakes.

"He must be a very comfortable lounge chair, hey Naruto." Sasuke laughed watching as Naruto giggled and settled back looking incredibly comfortable.

"I now understand why Kiba's always draped across this guy, he's way comfy. You should come join us Teme." Sasuke smirked skidding over the top of the desk and sitting down beside the blonde, ignoring my complaints entirely.

"Jesus, you're right Dobe. Seriously Kankuro I thought you and the dog where just seriously touchy-feel-ey, but you are an incredibly comfortable seat."

"Glad you think so." I growled sarcastically, Kiba bopping me on top of the head, making me glare back at him.

"Don't complain."

"Easy for you to say, you aren't getting crushed to death." Kiba sighed as he gently hopped off my chest, to kneel before me - lifting up my head, he flicked my bangs out of my eyes and placed my cheek on his thigh. "Thank-you..." I muttered trying to relax as much as possible as the boys settled in for the afternoon, the weight eventually evening out and the rest of the group relaxing some more.

We joked about what to get the 'queen bee' for her birthday, a few well thought out suggestions arose but they where focused on cash cards, jewellery and a one way plane ticket to the other side of the world. Though mostly the suggestions where just silly and really unrealistic, like a hungry lion, piranhas, food poisoning, warts, hair dye, a toad or a paper bag for her head. At some point during our discussions the whole cohort of students had ended up sitting on the ground, which meant that the people sitting on top of me FINALLY got off - even though I couldn't move for a few minutes as my right arm and left leg had fallen asleep from lack of circulation. Standing up I stretched, leaning back so that I was staring at the front of the class upside down.

"I say we are in need of some chips and sandwiches. What do you say?" Naruto cheered at the suggestion made by Sasuke, arms quickly draping over the raven as he smirked joyously at the older male. A cold shiver running down my spine, that look was so well known to those with money it was scary.

"Of course, being it your suggestion... Obviously you'll be willing to pay for it." A sigh was the only reply to the blonde's suggestion as we waltzed down the hall, off towards The Rose Hollow and an abundant supply of food lovingly made by two of our most favourite gothic girls - Moonshadow and Solana.

TBC...


End file.
